Which one to buy: UpTone USB REGEN or Intona USB Isolator?

[Nsxturbo]

So this is pretty much a repost of what I put on Phasure.com. My Itona USB isolator came a few days ago and I got a chance to listen to it for about 8 hours total now. Here's some detail of my system copied from my Phasure forum signature, some of it will mean nothing to those not using XXHiEnd playback software but you'll get an idea of the specifics of my music server and system components.

W10-10074 XX HighEnd 2.03 PC -> i7 3930K AS Rock MB W/ Dexa Neutron Star & linear PS supply mod. For Processor Clock, Hyperthreading On (12 cores) @430MHz (!), 16GB, Windows 10 Pro 64 bit Insider Preview build 10074 Samsun SSD, XXHE on 2GB RAMDisk (IMDisk), music on LAN / Engine#4 Adaptive Mode / Q1/-/3/4/5 = 14/-/1/1/1 / Q1Factor = 1 / Dev.Buffer = 4096 / ClockRes = 1ms / Memory = Straight Contiguous / Include Garbage Collect / SFS W10 = .14(max 60) / not Invert / Phase Alignment Off / Playerprio = Low / ThreadPrio = Realtime / W8 Scheme = Core 3-5, W10 Scheme = Core 1-3 / Not Switch Processors during Playback = Off/ Playback Drive 2GB RAMDisk (IMDisk) / UnAttended (Just Start) / All Services Off / Keep LAN - *Not Persist* / WallPaper Off, W10 Running Time Off / Minimize OS / XTweaks : Balanced Load = *63* / Nervous Rate = 1 / Cool when Idle = 1 / Provide Stable Power = 1 / Utilize Cores always = 1 / Time Performance Index = Optimal / Time Stability = On / *Custom Filter Mid 705600* / -> USB3 (Silverstone W/Dexa Neutron Star Clock & Linear PS> *Clairixa USB* -> Uptone Regen w/ Dexa Neutron Star & linear PS -> 24/768 Phasure NOS1a 75B (BNC Out) async USB DAC, Driver v1.0.4b (*4ms*) -> Blaxius BNC interlink -> 8 channels of Hypex NCore 400's -> DYI BD Orphean Horns w/ qty-3 custom 15" open baffle bass drivers and qty-8 12" open baffle subwoofers per channel.

 

 

I first listened to my current setup which has a NeutronStar clock modified Uptone Regen USB re-clocker running off a lithium Ion battery power supply. The sound was as usual: very nice detail, ambiance, deep nicely scaled soundstage and nice black background.

 

 

Out came the Regen and in went the Itona with a short generic USB from the PC and the Phasure Clarixa 1m USB to the NOS1a 75b.

 

 

So I don't want to sound hyperbolic but, I was literally stunned at the difference! Like a complete removal of blur, smear and distortion. And this was in all important areas; frequency response, timing and dynamics. Every song I played was just so much more detailed and right. What really stood out was the delicacy of quiet passages but the incredible slam and quickness of percussion and piano. And the decay seemed infinite, just so natural. And the natural shimmer to cymbals better than I've ever heard from my system.

 

 

We all have known the feeling of running through our favorites and hearing them as new again, but Wow! this was pretty dramatic.

 

Todd

[Nsxturbo]

Hey guys,

 

I'm the one that said he would try the Regen with the Itona isolator and I did. Please note that my Regen was run off a lithium ion battery power supply and the stock clock was replaced with a New Class-D Neutron Star clock with its linear power supply. The mods improved the Regen substantially over the stock unit and in my system I preferred the Regen to the straight USB connection. It has been enjoyed as part of my system for the past several months.

 

I found the result of adding the Regen with the Itona quite enjoyable and musical and not much different to the Regen alone. but it was not as accurate and neutral as the Itona alone. With the just the Itona alone there was definitely more low level detail and better delineation of bass notes plus a wider soundstage and overall quicker dynamics with less overhang. As I posted earlier, less blur and distortion. Like the difference between looking out a pair of smudged glasses as opposed to 20/20 vision with no glasses at all."Just More Real"

 

Did the Itona improve the Regen? I'd say maybe slightly but I'd have a hard time justifying its cost if I had preferred the sound of the Regen to the Itona by itself.

 

I'll be sticking to the Itona alone in my system and now can't imagine listening without it!

 

Todd