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UpTone Audio USB Regen Listening Impressions


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I'd be surprised if the REGEN's power supply even with the SMPS isn't superior to the iPower.

 

Why do you say that?

Digital:  Sonore opticalModule > Uptone EtherRegen > Shunyata Sigma Ethernet > Antipodes K30 > Shunyata Omega USB > Gustard X26pro DAC < Mutec REF10 SE120

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Why do you say that?

 

because he hasn't tried the iFi iPower 9V power supply yet. ;-)

 

I will state, in some rigs it might be hard to tell any improvement between iPower and the Regen smps.

took my ears over 30min to try and pin down what differences were uncovered....

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Why do you say that?

 

because he hasn't tried the iFi iPower 9V power supply yet. ;-)

 

I will state, in some rigs it might be hard to tell any improvement between iPower and the Regen smps.

took my ears over 30min to try and pin down what differences were uncovered....

 

Well, I do use the JS-2 which John Swenson has designed. Given his post in the other thread about power supplies, I will stick with him. It just makes sense and I couldn't be happier.

 

To answer your question directly about the SMPS/REGENerate. Alex & John have both mentioned that they use a very high quality regulator (J.S. designed maybe?) so I think all of this adds up to something more. John is very sharp and obviously isn't going to tell us everything and I like the fact that he does it with a scientific approach.

W10 NUC i7 (Gen 10) > Roon (Audiolense FIR) > Motu UltraLite mk5 > (4) Hypex NCore NC502MP > JBL M2 Master Reference +4 subs

 

Watch my Podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXMw_bZWBMtRWNJQfTJ38kA/videos

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Well, I do use the JS-2 which John Swenson has designed. Given his post in the other thread about power supplies, I will stick with him. It just makes sense and I couldn't be happier.

 

To answer your question directly about the SMPS/REGENerate. Alex & John have both mentioned that they use a very high quality regulator (J.S. designed maybe?)

 

understood that using the JS-2 is/should be superior- it's a true LPS whereas iFi iPower clearly is not.

with no LPS to use as a power source in my case, was only comparing iPower to Regen SMPS

 

IIRC, the SMPS included with Regen is not UptoneAudio/JS designed, as superdad mentioned awhile back he had tested and spec'd a bunch of "off the shelf" SMPS manufacturers, and chose the best one for Regen that would not tilt the price/value ratio.

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IIRC, the SMPS included with Regen is not UptoneAudio/JS designed, as superdad mentioned awhile back he had tested and spec'd a bunch of "off the shelf" SMPS manufacturers, and chose the best one for Regen that would not tilt the price/value ratio.

 

Yes, that's correct. However, there is more to a power supply and that's what's key here. They must have tested for the criteria that they're interested in and that's how they've arrived at these units.

W10 NUC i7 (Gen 10) > Roon (Audiolense FIR) > Motu UltraLite mk5 > (4) Hypex NCore NC502MP > JBL M2 Master Reference +4 subs

 

Watch my Podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXMw_bZWBMtRWNJQfTJ38kA/videos

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Hey, MusicDirect has a 60-day return policy (can return if you are not satisfied for any reason) and they sell the iPower.

 

I won't be getting my Regen for a while since I am in the second batch, but if someone who already has the Regen and wants to do a head to head battle between the stock Regen smps and the iPower.......

Speaker Room: Lumin U1X | Lampizator Pacific 2 | Viva Linea | Constellation Inspiration Stereo 1.0 | FinkTeam Kim | Revel subs  

Office Headphone System: Lumin U1X | Lampizator Golden Gate 3 | Viva Egoista | Abyss AB1266 Phi TC 

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Kudos to John S. and Alex C. for an inexpensive product that delivers really worthwhile improvements.

 

After almost a week of listening to a wide variety of albums, I can only reiterate what others have already noted. The overriding impression is one of significantly enhanced clarity. This, in turn, has other desirable effects:

 

More correct timbres. Heinz Holliger's oboe has never sounded so lifelike in my system before, nor Ofra Harnoy's cello so seductive or the Cannonball's sax so vivid.

 

More easily identified details and nuances. The (mono) RIAS recordings of Mozart's Quartets by the Amadeus are simply stunning with the REGEN in the chain. Bruckner's 7th with the Chicago Symphony under Haitink is revealed in all its intricate sonic complexity. It's not that more detail is unearthed, but rather than what was always there becomes more obviously apparent, thus requiring less brain effort to latch onto the composer's intention and the performers' delivery.

 

More three-dimensional soundstage, with plenty of "air" around the performers. This is equally as evident in thickly orchestrated symphonic works as in small jazz ensembles.

 

Tighter, more focused bass, which allowed me to bump the sub's volume up by one notch (of forty) for a more solid foundation and further enhanced soundstage.

 

An overall sense of greater refinement in the musical presentation. With well-recorded music this helps a lot in concentrating on the music itself, rather than on the hi-fi.

 

Even before the REGEN, my system sounded quite nice, but the REGEN's addition has made it even more enjoyable.

 

Now, if only I could get my Benchmark DAC2 to automatically and reliably switch resolutions in USB mode as it does through the coax input . . .

 

Guido F.

For my system details, please see my profile. Thank you.

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Picked my two REGENs from our local customs office today. Setting them up at home was done within minutes!

 

Each REGEN is powered by a common HDPlex LPS and - because I simply can't do without - Sjöström Super Regulators, set to 6,5 Volt output.

 

To put it short, since a lot of impressions have been already expressed: The sound has got a significant improvement in nearly every aspect. My whole gear never has sounded with such a musicality before.

 

And this is really astonishing with the REGEN in my case. It is not only whiping everything clean from any tiny bit of digital graininess. But instead of sounding maybe too clean, it is giving the music a great portion of extra emotion. Voices sound very, very natural now. I can't think of any investment I did in my system so far that had such a high cost-value ratio as the REGEN.

 

Chapeau and thank you so much, Alex and John!

 

P.S.: The second REGEN is installed in the USB path Aries <> USB HD. Connected directly to the Aries and feeding the Corning USB cable that connects the USB HD. I don't want to exaggerate on the REGEN-Effekt at this place. But I didn't have to listen carefully to notice a further positive improvement on SQ. Maybe around 20% of the difference the REGEN made at the DAC side. But still enough to more than only justify the spent money on the additional one. I'm very happy that I went that way.

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Ok shout out to all Regen owners to try this......

 

Remove your favourite USB cable (mine was the TotalDac D1) coming from your usual digital source, computer/streamer etc....and use the mini USB A to B fly-lead that came with the Regen.....prepare yourselves to be even more surprised......!

 

Granted not everyone is going to be able (logistics), or possibly even bothered to try this (too busy listening to music), but humour me.....or thank me later ;)

 

I would be interested in what peoples thoughts/views on this are....try the 'listening outside the room test', in the room volume level sounded quieter over my favourite D1 cable. Music just flows effortlessly and sounds even more correct to my ears - the only way I can describe it is like 'listening to a SoTA vinyl rig'

ER / Geisman OXCO / Grimm MU1  / Dutch & Dutch 8C / Townshend Seismic Isolation

 

HP - SMSL Sanskrit 10th A’ , Woo Audio WA5 LE, Hifiman HEK v2

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HenSch:

 

Would love to hear if you tried a Regen on both ends of your Corning cable! You're the only person with two units. My Corning arrives Thursday, but alas, I only bought one Regen.

Bob

 

Mac Mini M1 12 volt dc > Roon > HQ Player to DSD 256 > Fibre to EtherRegen w/LPS1.2 and BG7TBL OCXO > Sonore microRendu v1.3 > IsoRegen > Denafrips Iris > i2s  > Denafrips Pontus II > Schiit Freya+ w/ Linlai E-6SN7's >  Nord One Up NCore 500 monoblocks REV D w/SI990Enh op amps > Martin Logan Impression 11A w/ dual Rythmik E15HP2 subs. Supra Cat8, JPS Labs Superconductor+ cables

 

 

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HenSch:

 

Would love to hear if you tried a Regen on both ends of your Corning cable! You're the only person with two units. My Corning arrives Thursday, but alas, I only bought one Regen.

 

Haven't tried the Regen on both ends of the Corning yet. Maybe I will never try - my problem is that I'm so deeply satisfied with the sound I get right now, that I've no motivation to perform any trials.

 

Hardly to believe for myself, since I was nearly desperately looking for tweaks in my system for many months now. May sound a bit pathetic, but it feels like finally coming home after a long journey for me right now.

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Haven't tried the Regen on both ends of the Corning yet. Maybe I will never try - my problem is that I'm so deeply satisfied with the sound I get right now, that I've no motivation to perform any trials.

 

Hardly to believe for myself, since I was nearly desperately looking for tweaks in my system for many months now. May sound a bit pathetic, but it feels like finally coming home after a long journey for me right now.

 

But it may sound even better :)

Bob

 

Mac Mini M1 12 volt dc > Roon > HQ Player to DSD 256 > Fibre to EtherRegen w/LPS1.2 and BG7TBL OCXO > Sonore microRendu v1.3 > IsoRegen > Denafrips Iris > i2s  > Denafrips Pontus II > Schiit Freya+ w/ Linlai E-6SN7's >  Nord One Up NCore 500 monoblocks REV D w/SI990Enh op amps > Martin Logan Impression 11A w/ dual Rythmik E15HP2 subs. Supra Cat8, JPS Labs Superconductor+ cables

 

 

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Well, I do use the JS-2 which John Swenson has designed. Given his post in the other thread about power supplies, I will stick with him. It just makes sense and I couldn't be happier.

 

To answer your question directly about the SMPS/REGENerate. Alex & John have both mentioned that they use a very high quality regulator (J.S. designed maybe?) so I think all of this adds up to something more. John is very sharp and obviously isn't going to tell us everything and I like the fact that he does it with a scientific approach.

 

I believe the SMPS Alex chose was a Mean Well and yes these medical grade tabletop SMPS are highly regulated to very tight tolerances. I'm using a Mean Well to replace the wallwart on my Darbee Darblet 5000 for a Panny plasma tv, it was the best $25 I've ever spent. The gain in useable contrast enhancement I found was the difference between 45% processing with the wallwart to 90% using the Mean Well without creating artifacts. So I can understand why Alex was impressed with his choice of Mean Well's. Alex's description of overkill was a good description for the SMPS, but I'd add overkill at the right price when you compare $25 to the JS-2 at $925.

 

I'd just like to thank Jason (jtwrace) for all the Uptone Audio Regen threads on many audio forums. This little gem (Alex promised) would probably have slid right over my head otherwise (and did with the first 150 units). My order's in for the next 150 units. It'll be used with an Empirical Off-Ramp 3/Paul Hynes power supply and a slightly modified MHDT Havana Dac. I'm anxiously patient. :)

 

Cheers,

Robin

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yup!

 

I'd just like to thank Jason (jtwrace) for all the Uptone Audio Regen threads on many audio forums. This little gem (Alex promised) would probably have slid right over my head otherwise.

 

Cheers,

Robin

Forrest:

Win10 i9 9900KS/GTX1060 HQPlayer4>Win10 NAA

DSD>Pavel's DSC2.6>Bent Audio TAP>

Parasound JC1>"Naked" Quad ESL63/Tannoy PS350B subs<100Hz

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For anybody who has a Benchmark hgc 2 dac and an iFi usb power thingy and dont have a long enough usb cable from the pc to go to the dac (like me) try this. Turn off your pc pull the power plug to the iFi and reboot. Going through the iFi and the Regen I get an overly dark sound. When I pull the plug on the iFi everything opens up.

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Hello,

I'm quite new here; as a matter of fact, I think this is my first message... Here's the question: in a configuration like this one

 

NAS > switch > network player/computer > Regen > DAC

 

is it anymore useful to upgrade anything upstream of the Regen, for instance LPSUs on NAS, switch, and/or network isolation with FMCs ?

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Hello,

I'm quite new here; as a matter of fact, I think this is my first message... Here's the question: in a configuration like this one

 

NAS > switch > network player/computer > Regen > DAC

 

is it anymore useful to upgrade anything upstream of the Regen, for instance LPSUs on NAS, switch, and/or network isolation with FMCs ?

 

Welcome to CA! Do you mind asking technical questions in the other REGENerate thread? It's here. http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f10-music-servers/uptone-audio-regen-22803/index24.html

 

I have answered this post over there already. No need to ask again. :-)

W10 NUC i7 (Gen 10) > Roon (Audiolense FIR) > Motu UltraLite mk5 > (4) Hypex NCore NC502MP > JBL M2 Master Reference +4 subs

 

Watch my Podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXMw_bZWBMtRWNJQfTJ38kA/videos

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Sorry for the above post...apparently the darkness was caused by something else.

For anybody who has a Benchmark hgc 2 dac and an iFi usb power thingy and dont have a long enough usb cable from the pc to go to the dac (like me) try this. Turn off your pc pull the power plug to the iFi and reboot. Going through the iFi and the Regen I get an overly dark sound. When I pull the plug on the iFi everything opens up.
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Just a heads-up everyone:

 

As of this moment (4:25 p.m. Pacific time, April 29), there remain only 5 unsold REGENs from the batch of 150 that will be ready to ship on the last day of May/first couple of days of June.

 

There is already an updated note on the REGEN page to this effect. I will be watching over the course of this evening and as soon as I see the last ones go I will change the notice.

 

Unfortunately, with our Japanese case supplier closed until May 11, I won't be able to get a date for a follow-on June run for another couple of weeks.

 

I am actually considering the batch to be sold-out a few shy of 150 units so I can hold back a few this time. For JS-2 buyer bundles, for a reviewer or two, or just in case one of the 150 boards that comes in fails Q.C. testing (did have one from the last batch with a chip soldering flaw; and one with a cracked USB jack).

 

All the best,

--Alex

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I wondered if any of the lampi owners had tried the regen and if so was there an improvement. I currently have the Ifi USB and Lampi big 5 and being in NZ doesn't really make re shipping an option once purchased.

Mac Mini 2012 SSD 8 GB Ram running Audirvana 2.1 > Music Library - Firewire 800 Lacie Rugged 2 TB External HDD > IFi iUsb > Gemini and Mercury Digital Cables > Lampizator Big 5 Dueland Cast Caps > New Audio Frontiers Supreme Special Edition 300b Integrated Amp > Bastanis Matterhorn Speakers > Antipodes Komako Speaker Cables and Interconnects > Home made power cords with Furutech sockets and IEC Connectors > Primacoustic Absorption panels

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And then there were none. Until the sold-out 150 ship (May 29th-June 3), and the then the run after that—taking orders for starting now—which I am estimating will be about June 18th.

Please see my blog post for more details.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

John and I are looking forward to meeting some of you this Saturday at the "CA by the Bay" get together.

 

One REGEN (held in reserve for the occasion) will be raffled off, with the proceeds going to the charity of the winner's choice.

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Snip, snip...

John and I are looking forward to meeting some of you this Saturday at the "CA by the Bay" get together.

 

Snip, snip.....

 

Only some of us? Sniff, sniff. :(

 

And I was going to bring my Corning cable with me.

 

p.s. and in all seriousness, the charity auction is very generous.

Silver Circle Audio | Roon | Devialet | Synology | Vivid Audio | Stillpoint Aperture | Auralic | DH Labs

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And then there were none. Until the sold-out 150 ship (May 29th-June 3), and the then the run after that—taking orders for starting now—which I am estimating will be about June 18th.

Please see my blog post for more details.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

John and I are looking forward to meeting some of you this Saturday at the "CA by the Bay" get together.

 

One REGEN (held in reserve for the occasion) will be raffled off, with the proceeds going to the charity of the winner's choice.

 

LoL

 

Success brings its own problems, though smalller than the other outcome...

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I just had a thought. Would not the Regen also work (and possibly provide some benefit) used between USB A to D Converter and computer? In this case I would think one would place it at the computer end for most benefit. Somebody should give that a try (as it will be awhile before I'll be able to give it a try).

---------------

Rich Brkich

Owner, Signature Sound

Liverpool, New York USA

Website: http://www.sigsound.com

FaceBook Page: http://www.facebook.com/Signature.Sound.HiFi

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