UpTone JS-2 Power Supply Listening Impressions

[Superdad]

You are right. I am writing to you separately. Was frustrated and throwing a tantrum. Apologies. SD

 

No problem. I am always here to help.

 

(Though I admit my e-mail in-box is about to eat me alive. I could--and do--spend entire days and evenings trying to get back to everyone, only to wake up the next morning with another flood of inquires. Where is my clone?! )

[sdube]

Borges had written of a labyrinthine library that multiplied of its own accord, now we have e-mail in-boxes that consume us alive. Nice turn of phrase, AC.

[jamesg11]

Been meaning to toss this in for a while - originally did a macmini powered by Clones Audio psu, before release of JS-2. The psu runs very hot when say doing major upsampling on HQPlayer redbook to dsdx2 (no problems, designed that way, according to Clones designer!). When I eventually got around to installing the mmk, it had the immediate effect of dropping the very hot to just hot! If I just play say dsd on Audirvana, it's merely very warm! All interesting stuff.

 

Anyways, when I get the spare dosh, I'll step up to a JS-2 ... the $au not helping though ...

[pl_svn]

Are you experiencing any noise Richard? I don't recall you saying so. If not, then you have nothing to worry about. Like I said, it is only in a very few instances. The noise I am referring to is a rather quiet "pattern noise" of bleeps as the computer processes, and in a few cases it has leaked into the DAC.

 

I had the ground loop issue by powering both MacMini and Regen from a JS-2: solved by disconnecting/reconnecting each and every interconnect cable in the chain

[jtwrace]

Anyone know what the current lead time for a JS-2 is now?

[Superdad]

Anyone know what the current lead time for a JS-2 is now?

 

I do.

[jtwrace]

I do.

 

OK, can you share?

[Superdad]

OK, can you share?

 

You already have one. I charge 50% more if you want a second unit.

 

Kidding aside, here is the scoop:

 

We busted our butts this month and 16 JS-2s are going out today (would have been last Thursday, but my new contract house making the custom Oyaide/Belden cables goofed and FedEx overnight will be driving up any minute with 30 cables). Really don't think we will attempt another 16 units at a time group again until I have more staff. The JS-2 prep/build/test/package process is time consuming and running hundreds of REGENs concurrently… Well let's just say I am not willing to work more than 70 hours a week.

 

This batch of 50 JS-2s went REALLY fast these past few months and my e-mail box is full of inquiries and reservations. There are just 10 more chassis/transformers/etc. in house for what will be a September 10th shipment. Pretty sure all 10 of those are already sold.

 

Luckily I've been getting smarter and quicker with ordering, and another 50 raw chassis, R-core transformers, etc. will be arriving by early September, though I don't have a date on the circuit boards yet.

 

So bottom line is:

Aside from those pre-sold 10 in the first part of September, I am comfortable taking reservations for a a group of 12 to ship on September 29th.

 

 

A note to anyone who e-mails me wanting to reserve/order a JS-2:

Don't worry if you don't hear back from me right away. Every semi-certain JS-2 order inquiry gets a red flag, and when it comes time to count up who is going to get one from the next upcoming batch, the earlier inquiries come first. I start sending personal replies/quotations/invoices right after the present build/ship batch goes.

So this week the next ten people will start to hear back from me, and for those that don't make the cut (and will be put at end of September), I'll soon reply in bulk with an acknowledgement and a promise to confirm the orders and logistics as the month moves on.

 

Yes, I know this all seems like a ridiculous way to run things--especially for a successful, quality product like the JS-2. I'll probably improve things with my web site to accept JS-2 order reservations there, but that won't change the fact that I don't have enough staff to cover all tasks, and that the e-mail and accounting monsters are eating me alive.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

--Alex C.

 

P.S. Now that I have first-rate contract house assembling my custom Oyaide/Belden shield, star-quad, 15awg DC cables, I can at last begin offering them for sale to other than just JS-2 owners. So look for them on my web site sometime in September. Both 5.5mm x 2.5mm and 5.5mm x 2.1mm Oyaide plugs are available and the cables can be with with any combination of those. Always 5-feet (1.5m) long, and for now, still just $60.

[YashN]

Borges had written of a labyrinthine library that multiplied of its own accord, now we have e-mail in-boxes that consume us alive. Nice turn of phrase, AC.

 

Not just email: every single appliance can have its own notification system: printers asking you to change their ink, every iPad app asking to be able to notify you of something, your cell warning you it needs power, your Bluetooth mouse complaining, etc...

[Jud]

Not just email: every single appliance can have its own notification system: printers asking you to change their ink, every iPad app asking to be able to notify you of something, your cell warning you it needs power, your Bluetooth mouse complaining, etc...

 

Ah, "the Internet of Things."

[jtwrace]

Thanks Alex for the super reply. ?

[zerung]

Alex, it would be nice if you were to offer the Y cable. Not only a short splitter, but the full length.

Thanks

[JohnSwenson]

Ah, "the Internet of Things."

 

Ahh,

that just brought to mind the following scenario:

 

Your lights start turning off on their own and you hear coming from everywhere at once:

 

"Dave, you haven't talked to me in a while, I'm feeling lonely..."

 

 

John S.

[esimms86]

Hi Alex. Have been enjoying the JS-2 powering both the Auralic Aries and the Geek Pulse Infinity(a side detour from my initial intended use - powering both the exasound e28 and the Smyth Realiser for a surround headfi experience). The latter project will get off the ground once I get around to modeling a high end 5.1 or 7.1 setup. In the meantime, I'm looking to buy an additional 5.5 mm x 2.1 mm/ 5.5 mm x 2.5 mm cable to connect my Regen Amber to the JS-2. Is said cable available to purchase separately from you or, if not, can you point me to a vendor who will make one for me at a reasonable cost? Thanks.

 

Esau

[jtwrace]

 

P.S. Now that I have first-rate contract house assembling my custom Oyaide/Belden shield, star-quad, 15awg DC cables, I can at last begin offering them for sale to other than just JS-2 owners. So look for them on my web site sometime in September. Both 5.5mm x 2.5mm and 5.5mm x 2.1mm Oyaide plugs are available and the cables can be with with any combination of those. Always 5-feet (1.5m) long, and for now, still just $60.

 

I'm looking to buy an additional 5.5 mm x 2.1 mm/ 5.5 mm x 2.5 mm cable to connect my Regen Amber to the JS-2. Is said cable available to purchase separately from you or, if not, can you point me to a vendor who will make one for me at a reasonable cost? Thanks.

 

Esau

If you can wait until September it appears that you can order one then. Otherwise, if you can DIY you can, well, DIY.

[esimms86]

Thanks Jason. September is just around the corner...

[YashN]

"Dave, you haven't talked to me in a while, I'm feeling lonely..."

 

Hahaaa!

 

Although it was good, I would have liked to see the Kubrick version of A.I.

[asindc]

Appreciate your response, Alex. I have been having problems playing DSD256 in HQPlayer 3.8.0. Not suggesting there is any connection between my issue and the JS-2. A DSD256 may start cleanly and then after two tracks starts to degrade into static and quavers. It could be anything about my Mac Mini. Just exploring all possibilities without pointing a finger at anyone or any device.

 

I have heard nothing from my JS-2 but silence. And the MMK appears to be working fine and dandy. The fan app you turned me on to keeps the fan speed at 1800+/-. Thank you for the clarification.

 

Best,

Richard

 

What is this fan app that you speak of?

[Superdad]

What is this fan app that you speak of?

 

It is called "Macs Fan Control" (Macs Fan Control - control fans of any Mac & Boot Camp! | CRYSTALIDEA Software) and is linked in an addendum e-mail I send to everyone that buys an UpTone Mac mini DC-conversion/Linear Fan Controller Kit (MMK).

 

But my instructions say only to use it as a test to run the fan speed up and down after installation of the MMK--to be sure the whole tachometer, s/w speed control and thermal sensors (the utility reads those too) are working.

I do not advise leaving the utility running with it set to keep the fan at the minimum speed (1800 for most years, different for one year or processor, I forget). Quit the app and just let the computer determine what the fan speed needs to be. Most of the time for music it will be at the lowest speed, but if some process starts (on purpose or due to some s/w runaway) that really heats things up, then you want to let the fan speed go up and keep the machine cool.

 

BTW, in a stock Mac mini, when the fan speed is slowest is when the nasties of the 25Khz 12V/0.5A(!) pulses of the PWM fan control are doing the most harm to SQ of the machine. That's why our MMK, providing smooth DC (at much lower voltage to slow the fan down) is of such sonic benefit.

 

Ciao,

--Alex C.

[asindc]

It is called "Macs Fan Control" (Macs Fan Control - control fans of any Mac & Boot Camp! | CRYSTALIDEA Software) and is linked in an addendum e-mail I send to everyone that buys an UpTone Mac mini DC-conversion/Linear Fan Controller Kit (MMK).

 

But my instructions say only to use it as a test to run the fan speed up and down after installation of the MMK--to be sure the whole tachometer, s/w speed control and thermal sensors (the utility reads those too) are working.

I do not advise leaving the utility running with it set to keep the fan at the minimum speed (1800 for most years, different for one year or processor, I forget). Quit the app and just let the computer determine what the fan speed needs to be. Most of the time for music it will be at the lowest speed, but if some process starts (on purpose or due to some s/w runaway) that really heats things up, then you want to let the fan speed go up and keep the machine cool.

 

BTW, in a stock Mac mini, when the fan speed is slowest is when the nasties of the 25Khz 12V/0.5A(!) pulses of the PWM fan control are doing the most harm to SQ of the machine. That's why our MMK, providing smooth DC (at much lower voltage to slow the fan down) is of such sonic benefit.

 

Ciao,

--Alex C.

 

Thanks, Alex. Much appreciated.

[Iansr]

I'd be very interested to hear JS' thoughts on the pros and cons of using a battery PS. You can for example buy a 5v 2 amp rechargeable power pack (designed for recharging smart phones etc) relatively cheaply. Some people report very good results vs a linear PS when powering R Pi and such like.

[JohnSwenson]

I'd be very interested to hear JS' thoughts on the pros and cons of using a battery PS. You can for example buy a 5v 2 amp rechargeable power pack (designed for recharging smart phones etc) relatively cheaply. Some people report very good results vs a linear PS when powering R Pi and such like.

 

I am not a big fan of such devices for audio purposes, they are designed to charge a battery, not provide a clean low impedance source. You can guarantee that these are using the least quality parts they can get away with. But it is still a battery and if you are in a situation with ground loops they will break those loops and that can be a good thing.

 

John S.

[Superdad]

I am not a big fan of such devices for audio purposes, they are designed to charge a battery, not provide a clean low impedance source. You can guarantee that these are using the least quality parts they can get away with. But it is still a battery and if you are in a situation with ground loops they will break those loops and that can be a good thing.

 

John S.

 

And don't a lot of them use cheap switching regulators to get the right output voltage from the battery?

[JohnSwenson]

And don't a lot of them use cheap switching regulators to get the right output voltage from the battery?

 

Yes, they use cheap switching DC/DC converters, but even the worst of these are considerably better than than the common AC switcher.

 

A good linear regulator will easily trounce these, but they are still better than almost any AC SMPS.

 

John S.

[Daudio]

Lastly, the MW 12V/90W I bought for you and shipped with your Mac Mini DC-conversion/Linear Fan Controller Kit (MMK) has a 5.5mm x 2.5mm plug on its DC output cord. As explained, our new device has 5.5mm x 2.1mm jacks.

 

Alex, OK, I stole the above quote from a different thread (Regen PSU Add-on), and couldn't find a UTA MMK thread, so here it goes...

 

Is that MeanWell PSU an option for a MMK, or just a one-off. And do you have any other options/recommendations for an inexpensive Mac Mini external PSU ??

 

Of course, I would love to order a JS-2, but it is just too expensive for me now But, I have been thinking about a MMK kit w/ some kind of affordable PSU. Others might be interested as well. Oh, and what kind of lead time do you have on MMK's, what with all the Regens, JS-2's, development work, home life, goofing off, and such ?

 

Thanks,