UpTone Audio USB Regen Listening Impressions

[sdube]

There are a couple things going on here.

 

"Some people seem to have systems that are very sensitive to the 50-60KHz noise injected back into the AC mains, for these systems ANY SMPS is bad and to be avoided.

 

Other people have systems that don't seem to notice this noise on the AC at all, or only very marginally. For these people the quality of the output is far more important than whether it is SMPS or not.

 

I posted the cheap linear for those people that have systems that are highly sensitive to SMPS, the supply does not inject the 50-60KHz back into the line so the system will sound better just by doing that.

 

For most digital audio applications how a supply responds to transients is the most important aspect, the Sbooster products (particularly the more expensive ones), do help with this, and I would expect the results to be better than what any cheap linear could hope to achieve. (BTW the Sbooster products will also work with the linears too)

 

So unfortunately there are no hard and fast rules, what works best in one system may be entirely the wrong thing in someone else's system.

 

John S.

 

Will the upcoming magic gizmo benefit the JS-2, too?

[sdube]

No.

The JS-2 is a high-current (5-6.4A), dual-output, choke-filtered, multi-voltage (5/7/9/12V) LPS offering exceptional performance.

 

The upcoming product (October target) is a 1 amp power supply with a single output (switchable between 5V for SSDs, SOtM/PPA/JCAT USB cards or anything else that can run from 5V/1A, and 7V for the REGEN). It will be 100% unique (the mystery part), affordable, and compact (11cm x 11cm x 3cm). It might be the ultimate low-curret LPS.

 

Best,

--Alex C.

 

Got it: Thank you. So, even with the JS-2 feeding the Regen, there could be possible benefits with two Regens in series? If so, which would be the Regen to feed with JS-2 and which with the upcoming product? (The other output of the JS-2 is dedicated to an UpToned Mac Mini.)

[sdube]

Got to have priorities!

 

In response to Alex C's anniversary, but posted here so as not to embarrass him: some of us are the same vintage as you, and close to celebrating our 25th; so, as ever, a long haul, whiich points to wonderful futures ahead.

[sdube]

Felicidades for the review and even more for the product that elicited it, of course. Alex, you are among the most honest and forthright persons around, and not just in the world of high-end audio. I have bought but am yet to hear your products -- on their way, finally! The point is I would trust you implicitly: To walk into these places where sharks walk on land, and encounter suddenly the best of *Catcher in the Rye* is a happy feeling. (Apologies, folks, if this is all weird: it is well meant, you know).

[sdube]

My Regen is in, a month after it reached friends in San Diego. Powered by a JS-2. Only 15 minutes so far, and I already have intimations of what the fuss is about. Easy to hear the direction ahead on a pretty sussed-out system. Tomorrow, I shall take out my older Mac Mini and put in its place an UpToned Mac Mini with JS-2. Shall post further comments on Saturday morning. (Alas, leave that night for Erfurt and Amsterdam: bad timing.) Meanwhile, I cannot find the manual (if there is one) for JS-2: all seems intuitive of course, except the Sense switch. Advice, please, anyone, and thanks Alex (Superdad) and John.

[sdube]

The manual is great and fully in text. As useful as a having sex the first time and reading the users manual (In word) for a complete experiance.

 

The sense plug should be engaged and flick the switch. That is all there is to it (Never read the manual).

Thanks, Zerung: helps on the switch matter. About sex and such-like: I was trained in history and turned to fieldwork, so text and experience go hand-in-hand for me.

[sdube]

Hallo Alex/Superdad: Tomorrow, when I hook up the UpToned Mac Mini to the JS 2 -- and do with the sense switch as Zerung has suggested -- am I ready to go? Anything more on fan speed, etc. Tthe Regen is working rather brilliantly in my system, I must say. Just ordered two more.) Thanks.

[sdube]

What I have found aggravating about this Mark Whatever fellow is how he is so full of it, that is himself. This is evident in the way he writes, what he dismisses/endorses, how he aggrandises himself. To me, MW represents the worst of academia and audiophilia, worlds he straddles: innate entitlement, a priori privilege, and uncritical hierarchy. Consider this: "I ... remain highly skeptical of the whole premise behind the device and will continue to focus on making the best recordings ..." The audiophile oracle has spoken, and his making the best recordings triumphs the Regen and all that does not correspond to his truth, which is the only verity, anyway. Is there anything left to discuss? I have seen so much of this stuff in academia and audiophilia, particularly from those who have little to show and loads to hide -- degrees are displayed, the low-ranking of institutions occluded -- that let me just say, Mark Whatever is simply not worth it. It is the way he writes and argues, the presumption and the posy-ness.

[sdube]

Aggravating? My apologies. Unnecessary? After a hard day in academia, exhausted after exercise, as I happily, contentedly sank into music, Regen contributing, the words of Mr RW (PhD, Esq) struck me as pure pretence. I responded from the heart.

I find your "shouting" to be both aggravating and unnecessary.

[sdube]

As for the "shouting", after I copied and pasted a statement from RW's "review", my post appeared in three different styles, this font was the only one I could standardise it. Apologise again, if the size annoyed you, too.

I find your "shouting" to be both aggravating and unnecessary.

[sdube]

+1

Very nice to see - I was skeptical and gave Mr. Waldrep too little credit.

[sdube]

Thanks for understanding. Yes, the font, though not BOLD, made the post scream (or, twist) and shout.

The rant was totally understandable and I in fact fully agree with you over that sad excuse for a Regen review, IMHO. I just didn't agree with it's presentation. Thanks for the explanation & apology accepted.

[sdube]

But I don't drive and don't have a car (yes, it is possible): Any remedy for Luddites, or we don't hear the notes?

I put a pint of this stuff in the crankcase ::Marvel Mystery Oil::

The two motor heads in the car with me were positively fulsome over the musicality of the exhaust note

I hope to try 2 or 3 additional pints tomorrow

[sdube]

Yesterday, I replaced my previous USB cable (Silnote silver) with a YFS data-only Custom Reference Silver 1.5 m USB cable to feed a single Regen (fed by JS-2) that goes into the Berkeley Alpha USB. Mon, the resulting change/sound is mighty good, especially ease and clarity. I shall be trying my twinned Regens next month with two 6" AQVOX USB cables, being picked up in Germany. U

I am running two Amber Regens in serial fashion (2 Regens are definitely better than 1 in my system- each Regen being powered with its own El Cheapo LPS). After a fair bit of experimenting I am finding that I prefer the TotalDac D1 usb cable over the solid adapter for connecting the two Regens. I am still using the solid adapter from the last Regen into my USB/Spdif converter.

 

So my final setup is:

 

MacBook > Lightspeed 10G split usb cable > Regen 1 > Jitterbug > TotalDac D1 > Regen 2 > solid adapter > Berkeley converter

 

[sdube]

Shall certainly post on the matter, although I do hope the results over a couple of weeks (of the different permutations and combinations) are conclusive. I confess to finding these comparisons, not merely A-B but even over time, somewhat exhausting, since they detract from the music -- unless of course there is an aha moment.

I would be interested in your results too....I have two of the 6" Aqvox Usb cables, which I had connected between each Regen and connect the second Regen to my Dac. I noticed a more forward presentation, with a sense of more detail, so I stuck with this combination in my twin Regen setup. The cable feeding the regens, was the Supra 70cm USB cable.

 

Recently, after using this setup for a few weeks, I decided to go back to using a solid connector between the last Regen and my Dac....wow! Like listening to when I first inserted a Regen into the system originally - great soundstage and detail, the presentation was much more relaxed and to my ears less fatiguing. So, I tried substituting the Aqvox connecting the two Regens, with a solid adapter. Now this time the sound became less focussed to my ears?

 

The thing with a lot of the often small sonic differences/improvements around using USB, I don't think A/B type listening works very well at all. I find the sonic signature of your system when you take components away, tends, for me, to provide a more consistent identifyable difference than trying to perform straight A/B comparisons when adding components? Do others find this to be the case?

[sdube]

Well, I suppose a lot depends on what one means by a "BIG" improvement. In a well resolved system, if a change for the better in tone, colour, texture, clarity, and ease are apparent, there is something good going on. My problem is with changes that are principally sideways, something different for the better, something indifferent for the worse. Along the lines of good changes indicated above, I have heard a clear improvement with the Regen on the Berkeley Alpha USB, which is regarded as a class-leading unit, feeding my higher end North Star DAC as part of a rather good system. So, I am really happy. Now, normally I would desist from further tweaking/tinkering: but both the newness and cost of the Regen invite and incite this, I reckon.

I have the same exact sentiment as you do. When a BIG improvement will happen with something like a Regen, something must definitely be off. My obervations are similar, though I came about this with the Regen having different effects depending on the DACs. I tried them with the Gungnir MLB, and it had some impact, but nothing I couldn't live with. I tried them with an ifi iDSD Micro, and this one was very readily discernable, cleaning out a lot of the digititis this dac seems to have on some material. On a Teac UD-501, I had similar results, to a lesser extent. The USB Regen addresses things on the DACs, but I guess some of them have more USB issues than others? I ran this through a PC>LH 10G>Regen>Dac>Bryston BHA-1>Moon Audio Black Dragon>Sennheiser HD-800 Anax mod 2 setup.

 

YMMV, mine certainly did.

[sdube]

Enticements and Incitements: Tweak and Treat

Nicely said

 

And then there is that flexibility: cables, PSU's, etc. Irresistible tweak bait ??

[sdube]

I have replied to your PM, trust that it has gotten through. My first time with responding to a personal message.

I am interested in buying a regen for my system. I use iMac as source and Schiit audio yggdrasil as dac.

 

Which usb cable pair with regen the best? I am looking at YFS data only and Cabledyne reference silver before. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[sdube]

So, if I have got it right, you have computer into Supra cable into Regen (fed by SMPS) into AQVOX (fed by its wall-wart) into DAC? And, this way, the DAC is not getting power from the Regen but from the AQVOX?

So I inserted my AQVOX USB power dongle on the output end, listening to Brothers in Arms Dire Straights I. The dynamic limitations of my Magneplanar 1.17s have vanished. The improvement in dynamics is astounding. Decays last longer, the imaging and clarity is just brilliant and my neighbour's hate me. It's 7 o'clock here in Aus and I can't help myself I knew I was addicted to listening to music now I have Knoffler and Sting in my room ( money for nothing).

[sdube]

Thanks.

Yes that's the way I have it. It just improved the clarity and definition. Also I now have real depth of images. I'll see if it's real or just euphoric delusion today but imo it was profound.

[sdube]

Just that it looked like a wall-wart in the photo. I have nothing against AQVOX, and actually have their shortest (12 CM) USB cables on order to try on twin Regens. I was simply surprised since the Regen is meant to clean up the AC noise and packet stuff. I run the Regen(s) off the JS-2, but I suppose could try a rather nice LPSU I have (on the desktop system) into my BADA USB Alpha. Hadn't even thought of it, so I asked.

It's not a wall wart, it's a linear supply. Go to AQVOX site and check it out.

[sdube]

That is what, simple-mindedly, I had thought too.

You have to love the boasting by AQVOX.

 

 

 

This was being discussed, and other solutions posted in C.A. by various members WELL before AQVOX made their PSU available !

 

 

 

It's a 5VA transformer inside the case, which only leaves room for basic DC filtering and voltage regulation. A more expensive dedicated Linear PSU would almost certainly outperform it in this application

[sdube]

Yess.

Just as reminder to those just joining, the REGEN performs 2 completely separate functions:

 

1) For the data it produces a entirely new USB signal of high integrity (that's rise-time, amplitude, edge-jitter, noise, etc.--all the stuff seen with an eye-pattern test) and proper impedance match--right at the input of the DAC so that the DAC's own USB input PHY chip and processor stay "calm" and generate less ground-plane and packet-noise INSIDE the DAC. This is the big thing that differentiates the REGEN from all other current devices.

 

2) For the USB power side we completely ignore the 5V coming in on pin 1 of the USB cable and use the best-in-class 1A ultra-low-noise regulator, the TI TPS7A4700 along with a ultra-low-ESR 220uF capacitor, etc. to provide clean 5VDC to DACs that require it.

 

I like the AQVOX folks, and indeed they were one of the first to commercialize a PS with a hand-made USB B>B adaptor to "inject" cleaner 5V between the cable and DAC at the input. While I do not know what style of linear regulation they are using in the USB 5V supply they offer, and noise specs absolutely do not tell the whole story of PS performance, for comparison they state a noise spec of 0.1mV and the regulators we use in the REGEN (two of them, one at 3.3V for the hub chip, the other at 5V for the VBUS) are rated at 0.00417mV noise (from 10Hz to 100kHz).

 

And fed by the also exceptional JS-2 as you are doing Saurabh, I think you have it pretty well covered.

[sdube]

May I reiterate my immense enthusiasm for the Regen and a dedicated UpToned Mac mini (late 2012, 16 GB Ram, 2 TB Raid SSD), both powered by the JS-2, with a YFS custom silver data-only USB between Mac and Regen going into BADA Alpha USB and then onto, well, other stuff? In fact, I am so happy with the resulting sound that I am worried about any further tweaks, which are forthcoming, destroying my pleasure. But then I console myself that I can go back to the past that exists now, rather than fret about minuscule changes. Many thanks, AC and JS.

[sdube]

Has anyone had problems with JRiver MC 20 for Mac (Yosemite OS) working in Integer mode with the Regen? Non-integer is fine, but I am getting interrupted, spotty sound with integer. Integer mode does, however, work with Audirvana+ and Regen. Any, all suggestions very welcome.