UpTone Audio USB Regen Listening Impressions

[JohanS]

again: here (EU) Supra are just the cheapest, but "branded", cables you can find. really nothing "exot(er)ic"

Mmm, my Supra cable is back in the box for a year now. The reseller was unwilling to take it back. My cable isn't broken. As reported in another thread my Wadia121 became completely static leading to 1) noise and distorted sound, 2) a frozen Wadia which would only came alive after a complete power down (removal of power cord). This happened several times. It did never happen with a Transparent USB cable I had before and neither does it with the OEM USB cable I currently use that came with a printer or whatever USB device.

 

So, although the reviews (What HiFi) are raving, something is going on with these Supra cables. That said, if working, the sound is very organic / smooth / juicy with a good sound stage. I hope my Supra cable will work together with the REGEN and not hang the Wadia anymore. I also consider to replace my Macbook with Audirvana with the Auralic Aries MINI streamer.

[Dyson]

I received the little amber wonder toy on Wednesday (Customs were fast and was tax free!) and as I was curious to hear myself all the amazing things that has been written here, I hooked it up a bit "quick & dirty" with the delivered small cable, the hard adapter from the iDSD and an USB stock that I had nearby. Well I was disappointed: I didn't hear any wonder but something very poor (as opposite for rich/full sound) and yes: harsh.

 

As the reports here were so positive, I was sure that the problem was not with the REGEN. So I hocked it in my setup with the USB cables from the iUSB and iDSD (blue cables delivered with the devices). This revealed instantly the richness/fullness and all the details, I was already feeling much better! Following that first experience I tried a lot of the stock cables that I have at home for the connection from iMac to REGEN and I was just amazed how much that changes the sound at the end. This is me the most unbelievable learning, even more because I can't explained/understand it, but that another story... So I came back to the iFi cables that are the best I have for now (I'm certainly going to invest in that area).

 

But it was still harsh, that's when others started to report they had harshness and pointing the MW SMPS as possible problem. Having an iPower (first generation from the iUSB) I tried it and: wow! Harshness gone! (And everything else that has now been written several times.)

As for the bass, my feeling is there are less but so real and precise. Before it was uncontrolled, smeary.

Volume is not going up much, but not down either

 

Bravo ! to John and Alex

[RichB]

My order of iFi iPower's (they are all 9V version... all that is available currently) is in!

 

Hope to get a few hours of listening in this evening and give it a try on the Amber and

do some further back and forth listening between the green and amber Regens and

then report back on what I hear!

 

 

[JohnSwenson]

30 mA ???

 

 

 

 

 

Do you mean 13V DC -> choke input ?

 

I presume the 30mA was in response to my query about critical inductance. I took this to mean that he has a choke that reaches critical inductance at 30mA, so the base current of the REGEN is sufficient for the choke input supply to be properly doing its thing.

 

A choke input supply has the property that if the current is too low it behaves like a regular cap input supply, above that current it behaves like it should.

 

There are two ways to specify this, the critical current for a given inductance, or the critical inductance for a given current. It is generally specified as the critical inductance to work with the given load. Although in this day and age different inductor values are hard to come by, so the critical current for a specific choke is actually more useful in many circumstances.

 

(note this is a radically simplified explanation, please read the appropriate literature on choke input supplies for the real deal)

 

John S.

[JohnSwenson]

30mA takes care of that already I have a nice custom lundahl 600mA choke I can put to good use then.

 

 

 

I'll throw some effort into that this weekend, I'll try some powersupply variations, I have several different regulators and will try choke input, maybe I can even get away without a preregulator, 13V AC -> choke input ~9V@30mA, ~7V@500mA should work fine. Can the regen regulator withstand 13V DC for 1-2 seconds at power on?

 

Just got an offer from eurodriver to try his JL-2 aswell.

 

I suspect its throwing noise back into the mains, would make the most sense. As I posted earlier my led tv has a similar effect when plugged into the same circuit and powered on. The effect is attenuated when I put it on a different group so there's atleast 100ft of powerwiring between the 2.

 

The most voltage sensitive part in the REGEN is a 16V input capacitor so 13V should be fine. But if you are feeding the raw voltage from a 13 ACV transformer into a choke input filter that could very well have a short term voltage that exceeds the 16V. I don't think I would do that without either a regulator or some form of clamp to keep the voltage below 16V.

 

Another possibility is radiation, I haven't done field tests on the MW yet, it may be an issue.

 

John S.

[JohnSwenson]

I will try it after I finish my upgrade to my PC. Changing to a passive power supply with "Best in class ripple suppression" (so the review says ) plus passive cooled video card. Trying to lower the noise floor in the room.

 

One thing is everything is run from a PS Audio P5 regenerator except my Amplifier, so the power should be clean.

I could put the Regen PSU onto my iFi USB Power device? It is 9V but it should be ok?

 

I'm wondering if there is an interaction with the output impedance of the regenerator causing more noise to show up than with the raw AC supply.

 

Was the MW also on the output of the regenerator? If so could you try putting it on the raw mains?

 

Thanks,

 

John S.

[JohanS]

[snip... snip]

But it was still harsh, that's when others started to report they had harshness and pointing the MW SMPS as possible problem. Having an iPower (first generation from the iUSB) I tried it and: wow! Harshness gone! (And everything else that has now been written several times.)

Thanks for your report Dyson! Can someone point me to a website were Europeans can order an iFi iPower (new generation)? Music Direct sells it for $ 49.95, but it seems a bit easier to order one in Europe. Thanks!

 

Or, if this iPower is such a good powersource, Alex could ship the REGEN with a iPower...?!?

[edbk]

Hi John,

 

Ive ran a few tests already:

 

1) Baseline: system as is w/o regen and mw smps unplugged

2) Smps plugged in powering the regen but regen not in use: stage shrinks, is flatter, less 3D and there's a hard to describe glare over the music that makes you want to just turn the system off. Sibilance in recordings normally reasonably bearable turns downright nasty.

3) Smps plugged in and regen connected: the effects of the smps are diminished, its a good step up from 2) but 1) is the clear winner.

 

Typing this I realise I forgot to try smps plugged in without the regen connected but ahwell..

 

Now Im absolutely not anti-smps, actually am using hypex ncore class-d amps powered by smps! ?

 

Anyway I'll build a few powersupplies this weekend and see where things will go. I meant 13V DC yes, didnt include the rectifiers in the post which will obviously be there. Ill do a prereg and/or some parallel zeners to make sure I dont overload anything.

[JohnSwenson]

Thanks,

that is getting closer. I still don't know if it is noise on the AC wire, or radiation. Could you try wrapping some aluminum foil around the REGEN and see if that makes any difference?

 

Thanks,

 

John S.

[Daudio]

ran a few tests already:

 

1) Baseline: system as is w/o regen and mw smps unplugged

2) Smps plugged in powering the regen but regen not in use: stage shrinks, is flatter, less 3D and there's a hard to describe glare over the music that makes you want to just turn the system off. Sibilance in recordings normally reasonably bearable turns downright nasty.

3) Smps plugged in and regen connected: the effects of the smps are diminished, its a good step up from 2) but 1) is the clear winner.

 

 

Where is the mw smps located, in relation to the Regen and other equipment ?

 

How is the PS cable routed, in relation to other wiring ?

 

How is the mw smps AC cable plugged, in relation to your other gears AC cords n?

 

 

Perhaps those answers might point to part of your problem.

[Superdad]

2) Smps plugged in powering the regen but regen not in use: stage shrinks, is flatter, less 3D and there's a hard to describe glare over the music that makes you want to just turn the system off. Sibilance in recordings normally reasonably bearable turns downright nasty.

 

This is all VERY interesting to me. I think my system does not suffer from the SMPS being plugged into the wall because the rest of my front-end gear (preamp, DAC) is plugged into custom 1:1 isolation transformers (a pair of the rare Hovland VoltAires; with floating grounds), and my computer is running from the also rather line-impervious JS-2.

Guess I should try it all without the isolation trannys.

 

Also, because I have a dedicated mains sub-panel for my room (opening to the opposite side of the wall in the picture, just a few feet above) and 3 separate breakers controlling the outlets you see, I can have things not just on different circuits but on opposite sides of the 120/0/120.

 

So while I did still hear differences between the half-dozen SMPS units I had selected for audition when deciding what to include with the REGEN, I probably was not comparing SQ affected by the junk thrown back into the line by the buggers. Yet I doubt that would have affected my choice of which affordable SMPS was best. I definitely think that the higher wattage (22W/2.93A) delivers better bass, and the Mean Well was WAY more open and easier to listen to than the other brands and models.

 

And I suspect that the MW units kick back into the line less or no more than most. It is a "Level V" rated efficiency supply after all and meets all the EU emissions requirements for what it can put back into the line. As John has mentioned, it is pretty hard to measure some of this stuff without having a super clean AC line in the first place. He has also been talking about power-factor-corrected units as a possibility for an SMPS that put less crud back into the line. But good luck finding affordable (or any in our voltage range) desktop units. They are mostly available as internal mounting modules. There are some LED supplies (just different in that they are sealed and use an aluminum case for heat sinking) with active power factor correction, but they are not available at low voltages. And it is not certain that a PFC unit is actually any better for this purpose.

 

As for the new iPower, they spec'ed it for lower noise (and it may indeed sound very nice), but it is as yet unknown if it is any cleaner on the AC side of things. (And if they added power factor correction to their little warts, they are not saying; it would be a first!)

 

 

All this said--and the small batch of user reports where their systems are sensitive about having an SMPS plugged in--none of this should take away from the seeming "universal goodness" of what the REGEN does. For most a better PS is just a boost to it. And it is pretty cool that in every case reported so far, even those who initially have a bit of trouble and hear "harshness" eventually track it to their system being sensitive to the stock PS--and solving that the musical benefit of the REGEN immediately comes forth.

 

 

The wild new PS add-on that John and I are working on will be wonderful on the output side and will give terrific benefit to the REGEN, but the plan has been to power it (the new PS) from the existing Mean Well SMPS that everyone receives with their REGEN (or if sold for other purposes, with the much more readily available 12V/25W version from the same series).

 

So if SMPS units really do prove to be problematic for some just by being plugged into the wall near the stereo, then that is a separate matter that should be researched. Sadly, when I asked John last week if we could get away with an unregulated linear (transformer/diode/capacitor-based wall warts) to power our killer new add-on, he said no right away.

 

[elcorso]

2) Smps plugged in powering the regen but regen not in use: stage shrinks, is flatter, less 3D and there's a hard to describe glare over the music that makes you want to just turn the system off. Sibilance in recordings normally reasonably bearable turns downright nasty.

 

Maybe this could help:

 

 

Roch

[HumanMedia]

So far in my early listening, I think I prefer the 2Qute running just with the iFi USB power from my PC using iFi cables(Gemini & mercury) than with the Regen.

I hopefully might get some more time this weekend to give it a better listen.

 

What everyone has posted so far on the Regen with what they hear is pretty much what I hear already when I first installed the the 2Qute in my system. Putting the Regen in seems to make it (for lack of a better word) harsher and I seem to loose a bit of depth and dimension to the instruments. Less 3D if you like.

But as I say I will play around a bit more soon as I really have not given it good listen

 

Rocky how are things with the Regen and the 2Qute?

It just dawned on me that the 2Qute uses a wall wart power supply as well? Maybe there is an additional interaction using two wall wart power supplies on your components. Wouldn't hurt to try without both. Would be very interested in hearing a JS-2 powering both.

[REShaman]

Rocky how are things with the Regen and the 2Qute?

It just dawned on me that the 2Qute uses a wall wart power supply as well? Maybe there is an additional interaction using two wall wart power supplies on your components. Wouldn't hurt to try without both. Would be very interested in hearing a JS-2 powering both.

 

Hello HumanMedia and Rocky,

 

I have a different synergy that I added the UpTone Audio components to that includes the JS-2/MMK/Regen Amber.

 

I am curious about whether the Regen Amber made every track/album you played harsher than without the Regen Amber in the chain or just certain pieces of music.

 

I, too, experienced harsher, but I concluded something different to explain the harshness. When I first introduced the Regen Amber (first Regen for me) powered by the Mean Well SMPS, the improvement was noticeable. As Rocky experienced, my system as "was" before the Regen Amber was highly resolving and enjoyable. Bass, mids, highs were excellent. Soundstage as wide as the recordings made them. And that was an important awareness. What contributed to the harshness? The Regen Amber? Or (keeping it simple) the quality of the recording?

 

With the addition of the Regen Amber, the enhancement was not overwhelming for the very reasons I provided in the foregoing. My system was highly resolving as it is (or "was" before adding the UpTone Audio components). AND, I did discern an improvement.

 

I decided not to add the UpTone Audio components in stages after listening to just the Regen Amber with SMPS. Instead, I completed the MMK installation which allowed for the JS-2 to power my Mac Mini and Regen and to add the sensor for the Fan Controller inside the Mac Mini which also adds noise to the system and negatively affects SQ. With the additions completed, cables connected, my system powered, the full compliment of UpTone Audio components made a significant difference compared to the Regen Amber/SMPS alone. Enhancement with all UpTone Audio compared to just with the Regen Amber went far beyond and differences (as in different positive) exceeded by several degrees. Not just my assessment, but my wife's assessment as well.

 

What I noticed was that recordings that were well produced sounded even better. That includes albums/tracks that sounded mediocre before UA (UpTone Audio) components were added and now sounded much better with added details discernible.

 

And I also noticed that recordings that I discerned as NOT well produced sounded even worse. Discouraging in a fashion as I had hoped for some miracle. But if the limitations of production were evident before UA, the negatives did not disappear though in some respects, detailing and dimensionality were improved.

 

I thought I also noticed that some details like bass strings against the fret board which had been more intense was a bit rolled off, e.g., Scott La Faro's in the Bill Evans Trio recording of The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961, Disc 1. This occured when listening to that recording I know so well for years for a baseline memory before adding the Regen Amber for the first time. Those details were softened or so I discerned the SQ after adding the Regen Amber. Unlike others I did not notice more bass. Some have described the bass as tighter. I would describe it in terms of dimensionality and clarity not in intensity

 

Could it be that a possible explanation for the harshness is the overall clarity of what is present in the recording quality that compromises the rendition and hence sonic signature? Were all recordings rendered harsh? Were any recordings rendered better? Are there other contributors, such as cabling, power supplies, noise that mitigate SQ that are more apparent with the Regen Amber in line?

 

I, too, need to listen for longer periods and to a those recordings I deemed better produced than others. Like others, I have discovered recordings I deemed of poor quality come alive after making changes in cabling and with improved software player builds and innovations like iRC added to Amarra Symphony. Once such examples was Willie Nelson's Stardust redbook CD recording converted to AIFF with XLD that I could not listen to until I played it through Amarra Symphony with iRC and the recording blossomed.

 

In any event, wishing you the opportunity to sort out what brings you enjoyment in the way you prefer it.

 

Best,

Richard

[RichB]

Was able to do some listening last night and compare how things are sounding with the Regen Amber powered by the stock Mean-Well PS and the 9V iFi Audio iPower.

 

System: my old 2009 external PS Macmini runing mavericks with some SW optimizations (nothing crazy) with music files stored on external FW drive OS and apps on internal Smasung SSD. Audirvana plus 1.5.12 running with iTunes. The Mac Mini and External HD are plugged into a Running Springs Haley PLC. Audio portion is Wavelength Audio Cosecant W/Denominator USB dac (plugged into Running Springs Dimitri PLC) - cardas clear I/C - Ars Sonum Filarmonia SJ (tube) integrated amp (JPS Aluminata PC into dedicated circuit) - cardas clear speaker cables - Merlin TSM Black Magic Edition speakers.

 

The Regen MW and iPower supplies were plugged into the RSA Dimitri (Never both at the same time... I would only have the PS in use plugged in to ensure when was not interfering with the other when not in use). Connection of the Regen to the Cosecant was via the supplied little USB adapter.

 

Music used was a range of ripped CD's tracks (Alison Kruass - Maybe, Boz Scaggs - Thanks to You, Jack Johnson - All At Once, Harray Allen Quartet and some others) and some Hi Res downloads (Red Rodney 1957, Neil Young @ Massy Hall - Old Man).

 

USB Cable: Supra 2.0m (I would have preferred 1.5m, but all I could get right now was the 2.0m and 1.0m Supra's and the 1.0m is to short for my set-up)

 

With my Infra Red thermometer, the Regen case measured 90 degrees F at hottest point on case with the Mean Well and with the high voltage 9V iPower I was seeing 103 degrees F.

 

OK... the listening was very interesting. The Regens signature improvements where there with both, but there were distinct differences.The MW supply seemed to homogenized things a bit compared to the iPower. In doing this though the presentation of the MW was a little bit more relaxed or maybe more forgiving it a better way to say it on some tracks. The degree of improvement in clarity the Regen offered was not as present or apparent with the MW though - like there was a slight fog there which obscured some small soundstage queues in the live NeilYoung Massy hall recording. This did have the effect of seeming to pull pack dynamics a bit too with the MW. The iPower offered greater clarity and dynamics, but did seem a little bit less forgiving than the MW as the iPower laid more of the recording bare (i.e cleaned them up too much maybe for some recordings which may be a bit better off with a bit of homogenization :-) ). There where things I liked about both supplies, except for the way the MW worked on some vocals: For example like on the harmonized/overdubbed vocal on the Alison Krauss track (Maybe) can be a bit relentless with its sibilances and ch's it has at points. With the MW, it seemed to be emphasizing those vocals artifacts... with the iPower they where not being emphasized, and they sounded more apart (natural) of the recording.

 

Now, I only got the Supra USB a few weeks ago and have not don any comparison of it with other USB cables I have on hand the the (much more expensive) JPS Super V USB which I have been using. Have been relatively pleased with what I was hearing with the Supra and the Regen, but the sound in general was a bit to explicit... I have been thinking much of that is due to what the Regen does and the performance of the not so optimized old mac mini (with stock external power supply). The JPS USB has been a bit of a PITA at times (for some reason the outer barrels/shields of the A and B ends are not connected together and some gear has not liked this), but I have liked its sound - so with the iPower on the Regen, I swapped it in place of the Supra... and ... well of course it sounded different... actually a fair amount better than the Supra to my ears. The stage fell back a bit, the explicit character dropped away with the gains in clarity and resolution that the Regen Amber provides all still there. I WAS hoping somewhere inside that the Regen would help minimize a bunch of the (or the magnitude of) differences between USB cables, but I guess not! This was sounding so nice I had to just enjoy it and then called it the evening.

 

With the Supra USB, I think many folks will like the iPower on the Regen. Would be interesting to hear how it would compare to comparably priced linear (maybe on of the more affordable TeraDaks?), but don't have anything like that around and I want to get this off to Alex Monday so he can take a few days and hear for himself what it does.

 

Hope folks find this helpful... it took over a hour to write!

[wademcinnis]

Excuse me, I readily admit I have not read all of the posts about the regen.

 

Has anyone tried it with any of the pcie USB cards? I use the JCAT one and wonder if this device will make the card redundant?

[Superdad]

...I want to get this off to Alex Monday so he can take a few days and hear for himself what it does.

 

Hope folks find this helpful... it took over a hour to write!

 

Hi Rich:

Thanks a LOT for taking the time for both the comparisons AND the write up. Plus my reading was rewarded with that nice surprise at the end! I look forward to giving the iFi iPower SMPS a try.

 

I could make a bunch of technical speculations about why the differences and similarities between it and the Mean Well (which, based on some scope shots sent to us by the SBooster engineer, actually measures a LOT better than the MW spec sheet claims), but in the end what counts is how it sounds and what impact any SMPS has on AC side of a user's system (ref. my post up the page here).

 

For people whose AC mains and other gear are sensitive to the presence of an SMPS, then an LPS, even an inexpensive one may be the way to go for the REGEN (just be certain it is a REGULATED LPS with least a 1-2 amp current capability).

While our own JS-2 choke-filtered, dual-output 5-6A unit is wonderful--and rather back-ordered since I can't build 'em fast enough--there are of course some inexpensive LPS alternatives, like Teradak as mentioned. While those are pretty basic trans/diode/cap/regulator designs, at least they (hopefully, depending upon parts choices) don't put a ton of crap back into the AC mains.

Plus, some of these are even coming with small, quiet, R-core transformers, and based on our tests, that is a very good thing.

 

For the REGEN, 9V LPS units are going to be the safest choice. While the older Teralink X1/X2 is okay (for $44-$80 depending upon seller, plus shipping), it is not an R-core and delivers under 1A. The much better choice is the 2A R-core Teradak DC-30W at $150 (plus shipping).

But on our long and rambling call last night (while I installed MMKs into 3 JS-2 buyers' Mac minis), John stumbled onto this little bargain on eBay: 30W DC9V HiFi Linear Power Supply Regulated PSU for DAC Amp Digital Display | eBay

Even if it does not meet its claimed 3A (nobody is going to draw that at 9V with a REGEN or Squeezebox Touch, etc.), it is a screaming bargain with an R-core at just $62 (plus $25 shipping). And it comes with a 5.5mm x 2.1mm cable, just right for the REGEN's jack.

So for folks who don't want any SMPS in their system, there are some choices. (Sadly, the days of being able to find 20-25w tabletop regulated DC supplies from China--you know the big, heavy black bricks--ended when SMPS took over.)

 

And just FYI, a 22-30W 9V LPS bought now (like the DC-30W or newly discovered eBay bargain linked above) will be a fine non-SMPS choice to power our upcoming, affordable and brain-twisting PS add-on for the REGEN. The output quality of what you buy won't matter to the sound when used with our new supply, but you will avoid having an SMPS putting stuff back into the mains. And if you use it to directly power the REGEN, it may sound better in the meantime while you wait for us. (FYI, the iPower is not going to deliver enough juice to power our mystery unit.)

 

Oh Rich, I meant to ask: With your 2009 Mac mini, are you using Apple's stock SMPS brick or are you running a big LPS? The 2009 was a bit power hungry, but a good PS does did wonders for mine before I moved forward to the skinny minis.

 

Have a great weekend everyone,

 

--Alex C.

[Superdad]

Has anyone tried it with any of the pcie USB cards? I use the JCAT one and wonder if this device will make the card redundant?

 

No, the REGEN itself (its USB PHY chip) still responds to better input signal integrity, so USB cables and computer output cards and s/w tweaks still help. But they are helping the REGEN, not the DAC.

 

Most ask your question the other way around: Does a JCAT/PPA/SOtM USB card negate the need for the REGEN. That's how I parsed your question at first glance. And that has indeed be answered by several people, including just a couple of days ago in the other thread (http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f10-music-servers/regen-amber-inpressions-24783/index3.html#post439356):).

 

"Got my Amber running last night on a chain starting with a PPA V4 USB card to PPA Red USB cable about 1.2 metres long feeding the Amber then to the supplied USB adapter direct into the Lampi Big7.

Running dual PC JPlay setup with both in Core mode with AO 1.3 on Server 2012 R2 and from the first track I was stunned at the improvement.

I really thought with all Linears and fully dedicated Audio PC setup the improvement might have been marginal but it definitely caught me by surprise.

 

I will not bore everyone with the usual superlatives but a stunning improvement in all the PCM and DSD I threw at it last night so looking forward to more listening pleasure this evening.

 

I am running it off the supplied SMPS and it sounds amazing so looking forward to sticking a feed off the Paul Hynes SR7 12v at the weekend to see if it improves any further.

 

Definitely in my top 2 bang for buck audio investments when compared to all the gear I have gone through in pursuit of PC based playback over the past 3 years. It certainly is a must have for anyone serious about PC Audio.

 

I will be very surprised if DAC manufacturers do not take this design and add it to their DAC USB inputs so I hope John & Alex have some IP or licensing cover on the circuit!

Cheers, Pearse."

[Dyson]

But on our long and rambling call last night (while I installed MMKs into 3 JS-2 buyers' Mac minis), John stumbled onto this little bargain on eBay: 30W DC9V HiFi Linear Power Supply Regulated PSU for DAC Amp Digital Display | eBay

 

You can even find them cheaper on AliExpress ($40 + shipping). I ordered one last week total: $62 but will take long to come over I guess.

[Duke40]

Hi Rich:

 

And just FYI, a 22-30W 9V LPS bought now (like the DC-30W or newly discovered eBay bargain linked above) will be a fine non-SMPS choice to power our upcoming, affordable and brain-twisting PS add-on for the REGEN. The output quality of what you buy won't matter to the sound when used with our new supply, but you will avoid having an SMPS putting stuff back into the mains. And if you use it to directly power the REGEN, it may sound better in the meantime while you wait for us. (FYI, the iPower is not going to deliver enough juice to power our mystery unit.)

 

--Alex C.

 

As an early adopter, I took a calculated risk buying the Regen and was so pleasantly surprised.

 

I would like to take another one, please put me down for 2 of these "brain twisting PS add-on".

Sounds better than "mystery device"

 

Thank you.

 

John

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

As an early adopter, I took a calculated risk buying the Regen and was so pleasantly surprised.

 

I would like to take another one, please put me down for 2 of these "brain twisting PS add-on".

Sounds better than "mystery device"

 

Thank you.

 

John

 

"Affordable brain twisting PS add-on" sounds even better.

[RichB]

Hi Rich:

Oh Rich, I meant to ask: With your 2009 Mac mini, are you using Apple's stock SMPS brick or are you running a big LPS? The 2009 was a bit power hungry, but a good PS does did wonders for mine before I moved forward to the skinny minis.

.

 

I'm using the stock SMPS Brick.... though I have this thing lying around which I could probably press into use in its place: :-)

 

Dual 0 to 30V 5A "regulated" power supply! :-)

 

OK... I have been tempted to hook this up to the Regen to see what it would actually sound like for the heck of it, but I would need to make up a set or buy a set of test leads to do that first. I do have more important work to get back to though . . .

 

Like that I have caught up up enough on other work backlog that I will be able to get my customers Mac mini i7/JS-2 project back onto the front burner (get the MMK and SSD drives installed and start getting OS optimized)... Though it should be pretty easy to hook up the JS-2 to my old Mini and then the Regen. Will try to do that time permitting.

 

I think I am actually going to grab one of those R- Core supplies you linked to on E-bay though... would be nice if its output voltage was adjustable though (like from 5 to 9V).

[jtwrace]

"Affordable brain twisting PS add-on" sounds even better.

 

Which lead me to do this:http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/uptone-audio-regen-power-supply-add-24963/

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

Which lead me to do this:http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/uptone-audio-regen-power-supply-add-24963/

 

Maybe Alex could give us an idea of the price?

[Superdad]

Maybe Alex could give us an idea of the price?

 

See Jason, it's starting already (my fault though, I never should have hinted about it). We never ballpark price before even adding up the BoM (bio of materials) and getting quotes on the boards, assembly, case, etc. I know where I would LIKE it to be priced (around $200), but right now it looks like there are close to 140 parts on the PCB, so don't hang you hat on ANY speculative price.

I'm shutting up now and will try hard to resist answering an other questions about it. It is at least 2 months too soon to be talking much about the thing.