UpTone JS-2 Power Supply Listening Impressions

[BlueSkyy]

With the 2.5mm on both ends you can swap the direction of the cable if you desire.  With a 2.1mm on one end you can’t.  Begs the question can anybody say if cable direction, I.e. direction of current flow, is important or audible when direct current is involved?

[Superdad]

16 minutes ago, artofaudio said:

I just ordered the SAPPHIRE DC cable for my U1 Mini.  I will update this thread on the differences from my existing cable that shipped with my JS-2.  

Thanks Kevin.  Will ship in the morning. It is a very nice cable. Hope you like it.

--Alex C.

[artofaudio]

Thanks Alex.  I received it today and connected it immediately.  It seems to be better on great recordings like Patricia Barber, etc. but I need to take care of some other things first.  My system is so quiet that I hear other things that annoy me, like refrigerator hum for example.  Who needs a fridge anyway!  I’ve got some stuff coming to address that.  

[Piotr_1505]

Hallo, my first post here. I have recently received a gift of an Uptone JS-2 from an incredibly generous friend of mine. First of all, it is a beautifully made device, machined to perfection. A work of art - a term I never thought I would use to describe a power supplier :) So far, I have connected it to a mesh receiver (router) using a cheap 2-dollar DC cable but I have already heard an improvement. The most notable improvement is in the soundstage, but pretty much everything else improved over the stock supply. I'm now waiting for an English Electric 8Switch to be powered also by the JS-2. I wonder what the change will be, but my expectations are high, judging by the result from using the JS-2 with the router alone. At present I don't use any switches, however powered. I guess the DC cables can make a difference, too. The power cables have always made a considerable difference in my setup, even the power cord feeding an SBooster for my Intel NUC. My setup: Source: Metronome DSS/Metronome CD8, Amp: cutom made, KT-88 tubes, speakers: Franco Serblin Accordo. 

[Mercman]

The SAPPHIRE DC cable is a big sonic up from your previous cable. Nice job!

[Piotr_1505]

Hallo, I now have my JS-2 connected to the router and to an English Electric 8Switch. Because the switch is a new addition, I can't quite comment on how big the improvement is with the JS-2, but the sound is both detailed and smooth, with a "black" background. I currently use very cheap DC cables, and I'm looking forward to replacing them with something better. I'm sure my current DC cables are crap, as the sound changes even when I touch them. I would also welcome any comments from people who have tried some more upmarket power cables with the JS-2. I currently use a Shunyata Venom HC, but I have a suspicion there's room for improvement here as well. Of course, the differences may be small judging by the amount of extra cash one would have to lay out, but in hi-end audio, such small differences are often worth it, I'm afraid...

[Piotr_1505]

I know manufacturers often downplay the role of cables (sorry, Superdad ;) but I'm a cable guy ;)

[artofaudio]

Piotr_1505

I’ve used 3 different power cords to the wall with the JS-2 and in my system I could not detect a difference.  I could tell a slight difference with the Sapphire cord from the JS-2 to the Lumin U1 Mini though.

[Superdad]

9 hours ago, Piotr_1505 said:

I would also welcome any comments from people who have tried some more upmarket power cables with the JS-2.

 

4 hours ago, artofaudio said:

I’ve used 3 different power cords to the wall with the JS-2 and in my system I could not detect a difference.  I could tell a slight difference with the Sapphire cord from the JS-2 to the Lumin U1 Mini though.

 

The JS-2's choke-filtered design (plus RC snubber on the R-core transformer secondary and Schottky diodes) make it not very sensitive to power cords and fuses.

The choke has the supply drawing current over nearly the entire AC waveform (power factor of 0.97!), so unlike conventional linear supplies (typical P.F. of about 0.5) we are not kicking line frequency related harmonics back into the wall.

Much of the reason people hear differences between AC mains cords--with power amps, preamps, DACs, etc.--is not because of "improvement" of what goes to the gear. Rather it is that the RCL of the fancy cord acts as a filter for what the component's power supply is putting back into the wall!

 

On the other hand, really good DC output cables can and do make a nice difference--most especially if they are of the inductance-lowering "star-quad" geometry.

[Piotr_1505]

Yesterday I installed 2 DC cables I rceived with the JS-2, and there was a considerable improvement over the stock cables I used for my switch and router. Today I have place an order for one Sapphire cable, hoping for further improvement. I'm wondering if I should replace the switch cable or the router cable first... Probably I should have ordered two cables :)

[Piotr_1505]

@SuperdadIs there any way I can order another Sapphire without having to add the shipment cost? I have placed an order for one..

[Superdad]

28 minutes ago, Piotr_1505 said:

@SuperdadIs there any way I can order another Sapphire without having to add the shipment cost? I have placed an order for one..

I was about to tell you to check your e-mail, but I see that you were very quick and just now paid the web invoice link I sent for the second cable. Caught us just in time! 

Thanks,

--Alex C.

[Piotr_1505]

1 minute ago, Superdad said:

I was about to tell you to check your e-mail, but I see that you were very quick and just now paid the web invoice link I sent for the second cable. Caught us just in time! 

Thanks,

--Alex C.

Thank you soooo much, you are wonderful, both cables are the same, 2.1 mm on the other side.

Excellent service!

[JSWBach]

On 11/1/2022 at 11:42 PM, Mercman said:

The SAPPHIRE DC cable is a big sonic up from your previous cable. Nice job!

By seeing your comment, I ordered two SAPPHIRE DC cables for MMK and Brookln DAC+.

Today I got them, and replace the standard DC cablde with them.

Certainly, the DC cable makes the sound much clearer.

Thanks.

 

[Piotr_1505]

I have received two SAPPHIRE DC cables to connect my JS-2 to my switch and router. The JS-2 was already excellent without any special cables but the SAPPHIRE have further improved the sound. I can hear the cables have not settled yet completely, though. At times they are a bit bright and the bass is deep but a little bloated. Every new cable in my system needed time to sound its best, and I'm sure the SAPPHIRE are no exception, especially considering the teflon dielectric. Anyways, I have now experienced the "Alex service", which includes a warm personal touch. One just wants to keep buying :) I'm now thinking of an Etherregen, once it becomes available. Many thanks, Alex, it's a pleasure buying from you.

[Piotr_1505]

As for the particular sonic benefits, I would mention, above all, increased clarity, larger soundstage, especially depth, and the "being there" effect due to a great deal of ambient information coming the recording. 

[Superdad]

15 minutes ago, Piotr_1505 said:

Anyways, I have now experienced the "Alex service", which includes a warm personal touch. One just wants to keep buying :) I'm now thinking of an Etherregen, once it becomes available. Many thanks, Alex, it's a pleasure buying from you.

Aww, shucks. You are too kind Piotr! 

And I am glad you are enjoying the SAPPHIRE cables already.

 

Yet seriously, the best part of this business--aside from helping pay the bills and helping folks get better sound--is making nice audio acquaintances around the world.

I have a map with small pins and it amazes me how many countries we have put in a pin in for clients in each.

[mitch751]

My JS2 can't turn on this morning (the Led is off), I have checked the fuse and it was blow out, replaced with a new one, but can't turn on.

 

Anything I can do before I send it for service ?

[BlueSkyy]

Did the replacement fuse blow a second time?  If you disconnect the load(s) does the power supply still not work?  As there are "no user serviceable parts inside" it will probably have to go back.

[Superdad]

18 hours ago, mitch751 said:

My JS2 can't turn on this morning (the Led is off), I have checked the fuse and it was blow out, replaced with a new one, but can't turn on.

 

Anything I can do before I send it for service ?

 

Actual JS-2 failure is extremely rare. And for it to continuously blow fuses would mean that either its big R-core transformer has a short or the large inductor/choke failed. Out of nearly 1,800 units in the field I've only ever seen each of those once.

 

Most likely you blew a fuse--either at turn on with a big inrush current, or from some mains surge--and when you replaced the fuse one of three things occurred:

1) Perhaps you did not use a slow-blow fuse for the replacement;

2) Perhaps you are using a small Euro size fuse and placed it incorrectly in the fuseblock (not uncommon);

3) Perhaps the special metal jumper clip--that must be in place on the opposite side from the fuse--fell off or you moved it to the other side;

4) Perhaps you reinstalled the fuseblock with not the correct voltage showing in the window of the cover door.

 

Please refer to the attached photos for positioning of the fuse and the jumper clip. Look at the clip and fuse in relation to the 115V/230V markings. And if you are using a small Euro size fuse (the block accepts either that size or the full size 3AG "American" size), bet sure that you have placed it correctly fore-aft.

 

[mitch751]

Thank you the reply.

 

Let me explained with more details, one morning last week I found that my SOtM streamer (charged by JS2) could not turn on.

 

I checked the JS2 front LED (orange) was ON, I unplug the ac power and took off the fuse and realised it was blew.

 

I replaced with the same specification of fuse, but this time JS2 could not turn on and the LED was off.

 

To make sure the I reinstalled the fuseblock, setting the voltage and jumper clip correctly, I used a tester connecting the ac power socket (L) and the internal one (Purple arrow the pin connecting to Blue wire) and the continuity was detected, meaning the fuseblock was set correctly.

 

[BlueSkyy]

Sometimes they fail.  It’s as simple as that.

[mitch751]

22 minutes ago, BlueSkyy said:

Sometimes they fail.  It’s as simple as that.

A night before it failed ... we had a  thunder storm 

[Superdad]

1 hour ago, mitch751 said:

I checked the JS2 front LED (orange) was ON, I unplug the ac power and took off the fuse and realised it was blew.

Something is not right with your report.  If the fuse is blown then it no AC goes to the transformer and no voltage gets to the main board--so the front panel LED could not have been ON if the fuse was blown.

 

1 hour ago, mitch751 said:

I replaced with the same specification of fuse, but this time JS2 could not turn on and the LED was off.

Please pull the red fuseblock and take photos of both sides of it--with the fuse in place and also showing the jumper.

Also, check continuity of the fuse again.  Are you using a slow-blow fuse?

 

1 hour ago, mitch751 said:

To make sure the I reinstalled the fuseblock, setting the voltage and jumper clip correctly, I used a tester connecting the ac power socket (L) and the internal one (Purple arrow the pin connecting to Blue wire) and the continuity was detected, meaning the fuseblock was set correctly.

Not necessarily.  What country are you in? What is your local voltage?

[Superdad]

1 hour ago, BlueSkyy said:

Sometimes they fail.  It’s as simple as that.

Fuses yes. JS-2s only VERY rarely. Have only ever seen one transformer blown.

Fortunately JS-2s are 100% repairable. Covered by our 3-year warranty, though not against lightning strikes. For that labor is free, just cost of parts and shipping is charged.