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UpTone Audio USB Regen Listening Impressions


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Anybody willing to evaluate the difference between their Mac with / without process optimization using the REGEN? I don't know that I need to go through the hassle and risk of bricking / unbricking my Mini with what I'm hearing now with the REGEN. Can it get that much better?

 

What OSX are you running? I don't have a REGEN yet, but, based on my experience with the C.A.D. scripts, I would say to know you'd have to try it for yourself. On my MBP with Mavericks, the C.A.D. v1.2.2 scripts reduced background processes and threads by 50%, the performance of the computer remained stable and solid, and the SQ was improved.

 

OTOH, with Yosemite, implementing the new C.A.D. v1.3 scripts only reduced processes and threads by 25%, and slowed Finder operations to a near-standstill. However, while not quite as stable as Mavericks, there is still a stunning and unexpecting improvement in SQ from "straight" Yosemite on my MBP without the C.A.D. scripts, and CPU performance is where it should be, i.e., 12-15 sec. boot times from SSD, and no lag when opening apps, folders, or menus.

I plan to order a couple of REGENs when the next batch becomes available.

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I don't have anything from Alison, but would like to start. Would Paper Airplane be the CD to start with or is there a diff album/download that is recommended (well recorded too)?

 

All of Alison Krauss' stuff is pretty well mastered. I personally own 15 of her albums.

Her best solo anthology is, "Now That I've Found You: A Collection". With Union Station, her current band, I definitely recommend, "New Favorite", and "Paper Airplane". The first two are available from PonoMusic as redbook downloads, along with several other good ones.

Pono doesn't have "Paper Airplane, for some reason, but you can get that one in 24/96 hi-res from HDtracks, and it sounds great.

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I got my Regen yesterday and I tried it on my NOS1. It was a lot of trouble, since the position of the NOS1 USB port crosses the analog ICs, but I finally settled for the rigid adapter plus a 90 degrees adaptor. It looks kind of weird, but...

[snip]

Now that the Regen is at a place I was not really anticipating (it was for another dac), I need to find a way to make the connection less "dangerous".

 

What's so terrible about using the little 6" USB cable that Alex supplies in place of the rigid adapter?

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  • 3 weeks later...
I suspect it may need a fair amount of burn-in, but I can't find anyone declaring how much time might be needed. I ran mine for a week, but still heard serious issues.

Would more burn-in time help, or is that it ?

(I can't test for a while yet due to system maintenence)

 

I dare say that's it. Notwithstanding the raves by some of the smartest people here, I am not overly impressed with the Supra USB. It's certainly no better than the other USB cables in its price range that I own, namely the WireWorld Ultraviolet 7 and the Kimber Kable Cu. Maybe my system is not resolving enough, but I'm sticking with the Kimber on my main stereo, and have relegated the Supra to my office desktop headphone rig.

 

I do plan to get a REGEN when they become more readily available again. We'll revisit the issue then.

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I think you all know that the 6" USB I provide was meant just in case the solid adapter could not be used. I freely admit that the short cable is a cheap one. There really are EXTREMELY few pre-made USB male/male A>B ultra-short cables available anywhere in the world. I am not on the scale of Audioquest to just order up a few thousand custom pieces, and hopefully most people don't have to use it anyway.

 

FWIW, Wireworld USB cables are available as short as 0.3M (11.8")

Chroma $26

Ultraviolet 7 $43

...and up

 

I may get one to try. I'll report back late next month after my REGEN arrives, and I've had some time with it.

 

Hi Res Digital Audio Cables

 

Wireworld HDMI & Wireworld HDMI Cables from The Cable Company.

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  • 3 weeks later...

My dad never listened to music, but got me started in this hobby. He was an accountant, and one of his clients owned a local radio station. As a barter for services, in 1961, my dad acquired a Sony/Superscope reel-to-reel, a Garrard turntable, a H.H. Scott 299c amp (my avatar), matching Scott 350 FM tuner, and a pair of AR-2a speakers. These were housed in a bar console in our living room when I was growing up. I soon moved the amp and speakers into my bedroom, added a newer Garrard with an Empire cartridge, and was able to enjoy decent audio reproduction of my favorite Beatles, Stones, Animals, Dylan, Byrds, and Doors LP's.

I got several decades use out of those components. One of the speakers eventually gave out, and the amp needed a total rebuild, so I moved on, but now regret selling the amp on ebay. Mapleshade does upgrades on these vintage Scott amps, and, although it probably would have cost more than it was worth, it would have been a nice piece had I kept it, and had it restored.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Hi,

 

I ordered a regen yesterday... does this mean it will be amber?

Sorry, I'm late at this party and don't understand 'green and amber' versions? Obviously I want the best for my Aurender N100 & Auralic VEGA.

Thanks in advance.

 

 

I will respond on behalf of our friend, Alex, who is too busy filling orders to answer every little question. Yes, all new REGENs are now "amber". Resistors were added to the original "green" circuit to furthur improve SQ.

Go to the UpTone Audio website where you placed your order, and click on "Blog" in the menu headings. All will be explained there in more detail.

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i thought that I read that the REGEN is supposed to minimize the SQ variations between USB cables. On my system, the thing has such resolving power that it has the opposite effect. Before, the SQ differences between my Kimber Cu USB and the Supra USB were very subtle.

Now, the Supra sounds more organic and smooth, with better imaging, and no trace of digititis or sibilance, while the Kimber, by comparison, has more high-frequency detail (cymbals, tambourines, etc.), but borders on harsh and fatiguing with less-that-perfect recordings.

So, Alex and John were spot-on about the Supra being a great match with the REGEN, and that's the one for me.

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thanks. have you tried something "better" and compared it to the Supra? or is it just some kind of synergy?

 

I don't obsess over cables like some, or spend boatloads of money, but I have tested half a dozen cables on my system over a 2-1/2 year period. The REGEN is a game-changer, so my previous impressions may not be relevant anymore, but pre-REGEN, with my system as listed below, these were my subjective impressions, FWIW. I still have the WW, the Supra, and the Kimber Cu, but, as I said, the Supra sounds best with the REGEN.

 

•Belden grey printer cable, $20 It works. A baseline reference for comparison, actually sounded better than at least one other.

•Supra USB, $45 Sounded a little dull (until matched with the REGEN)

•WireWorld Ultraviolet 7, $50 Good average cable, nothing exceptional or terrible about it.

•Kimber Kable B-Bus Cu, $60 (supplied ferrrites removed) Most balanced frequency response and pleasant sound, given the other limitations of my system.

•Kimber Kable B-Bus Ag, $165 Highly detailed, great with best-quality recordings, otherwise too much brightness/sibilance for my ear.

•Elijah Audio Isolate Cu, $180 (signal leg & return only, no 5v power) Just wrong on my rig. Lifeless and dull. Worst of the bunch. (Sorry, Michael)

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  • 4 weeks later...
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  • 2 weeks later...

The REGEN sounds terrific on my main system, generally making music sound more natural, and minimizing sibilance and "digititis". A good example is Norah Jones', "Don't Know Why", from the album, "Come Away With Me" (where she is close-miked).

 

However, surpisingly, it had the opposite effect when connected to my desktop system. Listening to Ry Cooder's, "Little Sister", from "Bop Till You Drop", the guitar solo had added harshness in the high-mids and treble which grated on my ears through the headphones, compared to a warmer, albeit slightly less detailed SQ without the REGEN.

I'm using the supplied MeanWell PS and solid USB adapter.

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For those that are having trouble fitting the UpTone-supplied hard adapter, consider a Wireworld 0.3M (12") USB cable. Having read that the hard adapter utilizes 28AWG wire and pretty low-tech construction, I swapped mine out for my short WW Ultraviolet 7 USB cable, which is constructed with 24AWG siver-plated OFC signal wires, 24k gold-plated plugs. and, well-separated power leads:Screen Shot 2015-08-22 at 5.47.24 AM.pngAfter listening tests, my opinion is that the short WW cable sounds at least as good as the UTA adapter, certainly no worse. The 0.3M WW UV7 cable is priced under $50.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Evo,

 

I agree ! I lent out my Regen 'green' to an audiophile friend who set it up in another friends system (very hi-end stuff w/ $100k speakers). Both of them have long experience listening to a wide variety of good to great audio gear. They went about testing by inserting the Regen, listening for a while, removing it, listening for a while, and then doing it again (I forget how many iterations). They came back to me a said they didn't hear any significant difference (through an UTA order was placed subsequently :) ).

 

They didn't hear any difference, but they ordered one (or more) LOL!

 

I hear differences in USB cables. I do not hear significant differences in power cords or speaker cables (although I haven't tried the REALLY expensive ones). I know the REGEN makes a significant improvement in my system. Sibilance and "digititis" on many of my favorite recordings (Alison Krauss, Norah Jones, The Refugees, etc.) has diminished significantly. I'll be ordering a second REGEN for my headphone setup as soon as the backorder situation subsides a little bit.

As I like to say, YMMV.

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  • 1 month later...
I'm one of those in the minority. My Regen with Chinese R Cor LPS has not show any SQ difference one way or another. I've had the Regen for a while and my opinion has been consistent with testing right after I received the Regen and after extended time frame (I think it has been about 5 months now from arrival). I will say I have sensed no deterioration in SQ either.

 

I wish I would have the results that many here have heard but in my case no such luck. My current plan is to evaluate once again with mystery PS. If there is improvement, great. If not, I will sell it. The Regen is obviously in demand so I don't see any down side.

 

Thank you for your comments, because I was considering ordering a Chinese regulated linear power supply for my REGEN. I used to have a TeraDak which I used with my old Peachtree Dac*iT, but sold the PS with the DAC when I upgraded to my NAD. To be honest, I don't know how much that LPS improved that decidedly mid-fi DAC over the SMPS wallwart that came with it, if at all. So, the best I was hoping for was a slight, incremental improvement with the REGEN. I'll now stick with the MeanWell until the new UpTone PS is available, and then I will decide accordingly.

 

I do hear improvement with the REGEN in my system. Sibilance and digital harshness has decreased. Obviously, it is not a panacea for everybody's system. Any improvement in SQ is dependent on the synergy of all the other gear in the chain.

 

No shame in saying that it didn't improve your system. Evidently, though, less than 0.5% of buyers have returned theirs to UpTone for a refund.

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I do admit to feeling a bit down in the past week, though given the recent ringing endorsements from Paul McGowan, Arnie Nudell, and Bascom King, not to mention the Stereophile reviews hitting the newsstands, I have no rational reason to feel this way.

Yet, the vitriolic attacks (over on What's Best Forum and PinkFishMedia)--on both the REGEN, myself, and on John Swenson's engineering prowess--have become quite out of hand. Half the measurements taken have already been shown to be false or misleading (many thanks to the esteemed engineer John Westlake who has had more time than our own John Swenson of late), and those with some mysterious axe to grind against us continue to focus on measuring the wrong things--as the REGEN's action and audible benefit are with transient signals (just read all the listening reports).

--Alex C.

 

Alex,

I think I speak for the majority of members here worldwide, who not only value this forum as a wonderful resource and knowledge base to furthur our mutual hobby, but feel privileged to have been given the opportunity for first "dibs" on yours and John's creations.

 

Dealing with people in business is challenging (and retail, especially, is hell). The world is full of a**holes, and, on a free public forum like this, there is always someone who is emboldened by their anonymity and has to spit in the soup.

 

After all your hard work (which continues), it is too bad that some dubious claims have been made, but, we all know that life is unfair. Rest assured that you have hundreds of times more supporters and admirers than detractors. That must be very gratifying, a legacy to be proud of. Most of us go through life without accomplishing anything that enriches the lives of others.

With appreciation,

Mike K.

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I fail to see how the "Mystery" PSU, even though supplying vastly superior power to the Regen etc. can prevent AC mains supply degradation when using a consumer grade SMPS plugpack .

There are good technical reasons why most consumer grade SMPS supplies (especially plug packs) cause this degradation.

The effects of the injected RF/EMI back into the mains will be system dependent , and if you are using devices that are connected to mains earth by a 3 pin plug, may cause measurable degradation of the S/N of those devices.

I have a copy of an article that discusses this problem if anybody is interested.

I can't post it for Copyright reasons.

 

Alex

 

Without getting too technical, are you suggesting that removing the ground pin on the MeanWell's AC cable could improve SQ? I notice that my power amp does not have a 3-pin AC connector (it does have the standard male NEMA plug, but only two prongs).

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Well, I am 'considering'. The hard adapter causes some trouble because the total construction flips out easily from the back of my DAC, the short flexible cable has been 'ditched' bij Alex himself, so the Curious might be a good option just for this matter.

 

But, I have some doubts. I don't have money to spend to run another Curious from my Macbook to the REGEN. So my set-up then wil be like this:

Macbook - Supra - Regen - Curious

(and in the near future: Aries Mini - Supra - Regen - Curious)

 

Do I profit from all gains in SQ in this set-up as well? Or can I spend my 120 bucks wiser? Thanks for all advices.

 

Btw, my REGEN is powered by the Meanwell SMPS and filtered with an SBooster Ultra for REGEN.

 

Most people stick something solid under the REGEN to support it from drooping, but if you need an audio quality short USB cable, and don't want to spend $120, Wireworld makes 30cm USB cables for as little as $26 (Pearl), $43 (Ultraviolet 7), and $85 (Starlight 7). I have the UV 7, and the difference between it and the hard adapter used between the REGEN and the DAC is almost imperceptible.

 

USB Audio, Extension & Power Cable Types available from The Cable Company

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Dave

Many members have reported hearing worth while improvements when isolating the +5V Vbus wire at the PC end if your DAC doesn't need to see the incoming +5V. I chop off the end of my USB cables at the PC end and solder on a new USB-A connector without the red wire connected, and then slip some heatshrink tubing over the plug.

 

Alex

 

It's certainly easy enough to test if you have a cheap USB printer cable lying around. Listen through it for an hour, then carefully make a 1" slice in the jacket near the A-connector with a razor blade, clip the red wire, and tape it back up with electrical tape. Listen to the same tracks again, and see if you can hear a difference.

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It's certainly easy enough to test if you have a cheap USB printer cable lying around. Listen through it for an hour, then carefully make a 1" slice in the jacket near the A-connector with a razor blade, clip the red wire, and tape it back up with electrical tape. Listen to the same tracks again, and see if you can hear a difference.

 

Assuming the DAC still works. (grin) Just make sure the screening is still intact, as any disconnecting of the screening to help overcome earth loops is best done at the DAC end.

 

Well, it worked on mine. I just opened it up enough to expose the red wire. My DAC has no connection to 5v power at the USB input, so the result of the test was that it didn't seem to make any difference one way or the other.

 

I did try a Elijah Audio Isolate Cu cable at one point, and I did not care for it at all. Hopefully, the person that bought it from me had better luck with it.

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Well this particular dude, meaning me, can hear MP3 versus hires or even CD. So mr. Roch, what is it you are going on about? Fellow says he will do a test any day of the week at his place with his system, do it, or admit you won't do it. No big complicated deal there. Yes or no. Just clearly admit whichever is the case.

 

No one here is obliged to "admit" anything to you, or some naysayer on another forum.

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