UpTone Audio USB Regen Listening Impressions

[Elberoth]

Guys, this thread is dedicated to listening impressions.

 

If you have general questions about the product (design, availability, features etc) please post them in the original Regen thread:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f10-music-servers/uptone-audio-regen-22803/index16.html

[Elberoth]

Got my second, improved Regen today. The Amber sounds better, no question about that. Next thing I tried was running to Regens in series on my Trinity DAC - the Amber next to the DAC and the Green on the computer USB out. I need to do more listening, but I think daisy chaining them makes the sound even better !

 

I was to give the old Green to a friend of mine, but now I think I'm gonna keep both, lol.

 

The new Amber Regen (yeah, I'm lazy - it is still naked):

 

 

The old Regen Green:

 

[Elberoth]

Unfortunately, there is a very limited number of Ethernet equipped DACs. Most of us has to live with USB nasties. Regen, to my ears, helps a great deal alleviate USB problems.

[Elberoth]

According to Paul as long as you have I2S (HDMI), AES/EBU (XLR), SPDIF (RCA), or Ethernet renderer, you have better options than USB.

 

Each of those interfaces comes with its own set of problems. Even the ST Optical.

 

I have once exchanged several emails with Martin Reynolds from dCS on the topic of optical connections, who have noted:

 

A larger problem with optical interfaces is that you do not know what the light intensity in the fibre will be, so the receiver needs an AGC system (Automatic Gain Control). Such systems tend to be quite jittery due to the AGC circuit continually hunting for the best threshold setting.

 

In listening tests, the wired AES and SPDIF interfaces sounded better than either Toslink or ST for this reason. Both of these interfaces are transformer coupled (another way to galvanically isolate), although the SPDIF standard spoils this by requiring a chassis connection at both ends.

[Elberoth]

You shouldn't generalize. I had listener's fatigue before the Regen and my listening fatigue disappeared when adding the Regen with the stock Meanwell SMPS!

 

Conclusion:

Don't make your conclusion everyone else's, not all system are made equal.

 

It is still perfectly possible you will hear a further improvement by going linear.