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Uptone Audio Regen


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Question - previously had the power blocked with card on the usb A output of the macmini. So, with the REGEN there's no need? Further, is it still ok to leave the card in place ie. makes no difference?

 

Next question - anyone put the REGEN IN front of a usb/spdif converter (mine is a Cuinas)? Benefits?

macmini M1>ethernet / elgar iso tran(2.5kVa, .0005pfd)>consonance pw-3 boards>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360)>etherRegen(js-2)>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360) >ultraRendu (clones lpsu>lps1.2)>curious regen link>rme adi-2 dac(js-2)>cawsey cables>naquadria sp2 passive pre> 1.naquadria lucien mkII.5 power>elac fs249be + elac 4pi plus.2> 2.perreaux9000b(mods)>2x naquadria 12” passive subs.

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Question - previously had the power blocked with card on the usb A output of the macmini. So, with the REGEN there's no need? Further, is it still ok to leave the card in place ie. makes no difference?

 

Next question - anyone put the REGEN IN front of a usb/spdif converter (mine is a Cuinas)? Benefits?

 

Hi Jim:

 

You are right, it no longer makes a difference whether or not you have pin 1 (5vBUS) blocked on the cable from the computer to the REGEN as that pin is not connected to ANYTHING in the REGEN.

Blocking pin 4 (USB ground is probably not a good idea as it forces the reliance on the shield for data reference ground (at the computer USB port you will find those are common to one another).

 

BTW, the USB male/male A>B adapter I provide with the REGEN does not connect the shell-shields from one side to the other. It does not make a difference because, as I said, pin 4 and the shell become common at every device interface. But I did have a little chuckle when someone upthread posted a pic of the male USB 'A' shell of the adapter covered with tape. That did nothing.

 

Yes, people are reporting good results with the REGEN in from of USB>S/PDIF converters. It helps there for the same reason as with DAC USB inputs. Converters have the same sort of devices at their inputs, they are just outputting S/PDIF over a cable instead of I2S right into a DAC board. So far I think we have seen an Audiophilio user report about using a REGEN. Have not been keeping track of others.

 

Okay, I'm hitting the road to visit with John and to attend tomorrows "CA By the Bay" get-together!

 

--Alex

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Yes, people are reporting good results with the REGEN in from of USB>S/PDIF converters. It helps there for the same reason as with DAC USB inputs. Converters have the same sort of devices at their inputs, they are just outputting S/PDIF over a cable instead of I2S right into a DAC board. So far I think we have seen an Audiophilio user report about using a REGEN.

 

I'm using the Regen with an Audiophilleo 1 running on PurePower battery and... it makes a lot of a difference when using my JS-2 LPS to power the Regen. It still makes an audible difference using Regen's stock PS

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > Metrum Acoustics Forte power amplifier (or  First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall IV

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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You are right, it no longer makes a difference whether or not you have pin 1 (5vBUS) blocked on the cable from the computer to the REGEN as that pin is not connected to ANYTHING in the REGEN.

 

 

Unless you are using a dual conduit USB cable, it's still probably a good idea to isolate the noisy incoming SMPS +5V that is no longer needed, as in typical USB cables the Data and Power are both inside the same shielding and run side by side, although as twisted pairs ?

 

How a Digital Audio file sounds, or a Digital Video file looks, is governed to a large extent by the Power Supply area. All that Identical Checksums gives is the possibility of REGENERATING the file to close to that of the original file.

PROFILE UPDATED 13-11-2020

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But I did have a little chuckle when someone upthread posted a pic of the male USB 'A' shell of the adapter covered with tape. That did nothing.

--Alex

 

Hi Alex,

 

Long ago, in the days before the creation of the REGEN by Alex and John of Uptone Audio, a generic USB 3 "poor man's" hub was used to connect the Corning cable to the DAC. That little taped adapter in the picture on the other thread did something wonderful at that time.

 

Like the buggy whip, it has been rendered obsolete by the terrific new technology of the REGEN and it's advanced adapter. Nevertheless that ugly thing served it's time very well and represents progress from that pre-REGEN era.

 

Believe it not, it still work today! :)

 

Larry

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

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Got to ask has anybody found a usb cable shorter than the Regen 6" one? I cant use the 2 " one from Regen on my Benchmark. It interferes with the power plug into the Benchmark. I searched all over couldn't find one.

 

Instead of replacing the USB cable, would a right angle IEC adapter be a better fix? Just a thought,,,

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Great suggestion but I have one of those Mad Scientist power cables that have big chunks of iron just before the iec connection. Can't do it. But tell me how much better Regen was with the short link versus the 6 inch USB cable. Or was it close?

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Great suggestion but I have one of those Mad Scientist power cables that have big chunks of iron just before the iec connection. Can't do it. But tell me how much better Regen was with the short link versus the 6 inch USB cable. Or was it close?

 

Was playing around at John's place this weekend after the fun "CA By the Bay" get together in Berkeley, and sorry to report, I don't like the sound of the 6-inch cable at all versus the solid adapter. Found the cable very strident in comparison, and really messed up piano for me.

If one can't use the adaptor, then I'd suggest a very short but good sounding USB cable. John and I really like the Supra for the price, and I find it better balanced a enjoyable then several more expensive and well known cables I have tried (admittedly very few).

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Well Superdad you made me try harder. With a lot of effort and lots of cursing I finally got the short link to work. Thanks for your honest opinion. Yes it makes a difference!

 

 

Was playing around at John's place this weekend after the fun "CA By the Bay" get together in Berkeley, and sorry to report, I don't like the sound of the 6-inch cable at all versus the solid adapter. Found the cable very strident in comparison, and really messed up piano for me.

If one can't use the adaptor, then I'd suggest a very short but good sounding USB cable. John and I really like the Supra for the price, and I find it better balanced a enjoyable then several more expensive and well known cables I have tried (admittedly very few).

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Careful with it then ... don't drop it down those steps ...

macmini M1>ethernet / elgar iso tran(2.5kVa, .0005pfd)>consonance pw-3 boards>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360)>etherRegen(js-2)>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360) >ultraRendu (clones lpsu>lps1.2)>curious regen link>rme adi-2 dac(js-2)>cawsey cables>naquadria sp2 passive pre> 1.naquadria lucien mkII.5 power>elac fs249be + elac 4pi plus.2> 2.perreaux9000b(mods)>2x naquadria 12” passive subs.

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The supplied adapter cable makes a difference? Really..?

Tried the shortest a-b ubs cable I had between the Regen and my dac. Oh yes... the 6" adapter cable does *bad* things just like Alex reports further up. Dang! Impossible to fit the rigid adapter on my Ayre dac.

So now I run it backwards – the Regen attached to the mini via the short adapter. Much better...

Roon client on iPad/MacBookPro

Roon Server & HQPlayer on Mac Mini 2.0 GHz i7 with JS-2

LPS-1 & ultraRendu → Lampizator Atlantic → Bent Audio TAP-X → Atma-sphere M60 → Zero autoformers → Harbeth Compact 7 ES-3

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The supplied adapter cable makes a difference? Really..?

Tried the shortest a-b ubs cable I had between the Regen and my dac. Oh yes... the 6" adapter cable does *bad* things just like Alex reports further up. Dang! Impossible to fit the rigid adapter on my Ayre dac.

So now I run it backwards – the Regen attached to the mini via the short adapter. Much better...

 

Good to hear, that is also the way I have to connect it, can't fit the Regen under the lid of my wall mounted Devialet.

 

I also have a good USB cable I hope that it will compensate for the fact that it will be connected at the computer end.

 

Kind Regards Morten

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Maybe the Audioquest DragonTail USB cable (about 6cm long) could be a better sounding alternative to the supplied adapter cable?

 

Of course anything could be hardly better than the direct connection. But what could you do if it doesn't fit whatever you try...

 

Maybe somebody of us REGENarians could give this Audioquest a try and report here?

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The supplied adapter cable makes a difference? Really..?

Tried the shortest a-b ubs cable I had between the Regen and my dac. Oh yes... the 6" adapter cable does *bad* things just like Alex reports further up. Dang! Impossible to fit the rigid adapter on my Ayre dac.

So now I run it backwards – the Regen attached to the mini via the short adapter. Much better...

 

Why doesn't the rigid adaptor fit your Ayre?

My rig

 

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Dear Superdad and John Swenson today I was able to plug in the short link from Regen to my Dac. What a revelation! I cannot believe the low grain structure, the air, the transparency I am getting. It is phenomenal. You guys are on the right track please continue what you are doing research wise. Because what you are doing has made me very very happy today. The tonality is just great. I cannot overstate it. I have listened to all my old chestnuts am I am very pleased. Its not often that I have this kind of listening satisfaction but today it has been a pleasure to be alive once again. Thank you.

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Well, John and I spent the weekend testing and experimenting. We feel like cats who ate canaries! We have a BIG announcement coming VERY soon that will make everyone very happy. I'm just waiting to line up my ducks so the announcement can be done in a coordinated way with complete answers for the questions, excitement, and possible controversy it is going to generate.

 

I can't tell you what a hard time I am having keeping this secret for the moment. So just watch this space, the web site blog, and your e-mail (assuming you are on my list--as most of your are). It will be a simultaneous release so you are not likely to miss it.

 

--Alex C.

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@Foggie: silly me... it actually does work on the Ayre...

Roon client on iPad/MacBookPro

Roon Server & HQPlayer on Mac Mini 2.0 GHz i7 with JS-2

LPS-1 & ultraRendu → Lampizator Atlantic → Bent Audio TAP-X → Atma-sphere M60 → Zero autoformers → Harbeth Compact 7 ES-3

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