Has anyone compared iFi - Micro iUSB 3.0 Power Supply to Amber Regen

[Mike Gillespie]

I have been running older ifi iusb with Amber Regen and see that ifi has come out with the newer iFi - Micro iUSB 3.0 Power Supply that has a

 

"A three-step REclock, REbalance, and REgenerate process creates an all-new signal, banishes computer jitter, and restores signal integrity before re-correcting the USB signal balance and ultimately, allowing music to flow naturally, cleanly, and whole."

 

So for a new system I'm setting up, I'm wondering whether the new ifi will be just as good or better than the old ifi plus Amber Regen.

 

Thanks.

[RichB]

The Regen does not use the cleaned up USB power that the orignal (old) iFi iUSB Power generated, so it is not really necessary nor (at least in my listenning) did it help the Regen which was better on its own. A more apt/better/correct comparison is the iUSB3.0 Power compared to the Regen (with stock or upgraded external power supply - I'm using the "el-Cheapo" linear on my Regen, but found the iFi iPower 9V unit worked well with my Regen too).... and I think some folks have already done this comparison (I have not had the time to this comparison myself) if you look through the iUSB3.0 thread.

[Mike Gillespie]

The Regen does not use the cleaned up USB power that the orignal (old) iFi iUSB Power generated, so it is not really necessary nor (at least in my listenning) did it help the Regen which was better on its own. A more apt/better/correct comparison is the iUSB3.0 Power compared to the Regen (with stock or upgraded external power supply - I'm using the "el-Cheapo" linear on my Regen, but found the iFi iPower 9V unit worked well with my Regen too).... and I think some folks have already done this comparison (I have not had the time to this comparison myself) if you look through the iUSB3.0 thread.

 

Rich,

 

Why does the ifi iusb 3.0 make a difference with the Amber Regen and not the iusb 2.0?

 

Especially with a Dac that only connects usb 2.0 (like my PS Audio Direct Stream).

 

Thanks.

 

Mike

[RichB]

Rich,

 

Why does the ifi iusb 3.0 make a difference with the Amber Regen and not the iusb 2.0?

 

Especially with a Dac that only connects usb 2.0 (like my PS Audio Direct Stream).

 

Thanks.

 

Mike

 

As I said, I have not tried the iUSB3.0 yet. All the original (old) iUSB Power unit (which I did try was the the Regen) did was generate clean USB 5v bus power and allow one to separate data and power via the Gemini USB cable... To my listening this did not help the Regen.

 

As to why the iUSB3.0 Power unit may help the Regen... I imagine for much the same reasons that folks have reported that connecting two Regens together (see the multiple threads on the Regen for that discussion) may sound better. The IUSB3.0 Power unit provides clean USB bus power AND works on improving USB signal integrity as the Regen does (hence it does much more than the original iUSB Power unit). Note that there are MANY factors at play here when daisy chaining these devices (USB cables, sources, DACs, power supplies . . . ) so there is no gaurantee when doing this that the results will always be better.