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


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Hi All

 

I just received my "industrial" Intona USB isolator, which I had hoped to run from my Macbook to my MSB Analogue DAC.

 

I only tried for a few minutes on Thursday (say about for 15 minutes), but could not get the Macbook to see the DAC thru the Intona. I had to go out for New Years so reluctantly I admitted defeat and reverted to my previous cabling

 

I used combinations of Curious, Nordost and Lightspeed Harmonic cables without success. I never rebooted the DAC during my trials, but without the isolator this did seem not matter, as without the isolator the DAC was always recognized after cabling changes.

 

I've emailed Daniel at Intona for possible help, hopefully I'll hear from him later this week, but thought I'd post my experience here so as to prevent other MSB Analogue DAC owners from purchasing this until I get to the bottom of what is going on with the DAC and the isolator.

 

If the forum members have any suggestions, I'd be happy to try them out.

 

Regards

Barry

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Hi Barry,

 

Have your tried this route: Macbook > cable > Intona > cable > USB 2 hub (itself powered) > cable > DAC ?

 

I know the chain is more complicated, but just to see if this is a voltage/amperage matter ?

 

Regards,

 

Hi Alain

 

This morning I left my Uptone Regenerator in the chain, removed my $15 VBus isolator and replaced it with the Intona USB isolator. When I did this I could see the DAC. In this case the Uptone was supplying all the power. When I took the Uptone out of the chain the DAC disappeared.

 

In addition I tried using several types of bus powered portable hard drives, all of these had power, were spinning, but would not mount. I'm guessing that mounting them required more power than was getting through the Intona.

 

The MSB DAC is bus powered, so I'm guessing the Intona does not provide enough power for the DAC to operate properly.

 

My current set up is Macbook -> VBus isolator -> USB cable -> Uptone Regenerator -> USB cable -> DAC

 

My question is: Does it make sense to replace the $15 Vbus isolator (which essentially just cuts off power on the cable leading to the Uptone regenerator) with the Intona, while keeping the regenerator in place?

 

I can't see that if I do this, the Intona is doing anything at all. As no power running along the first USB cable to the Uptone unit should be better than the lowered (but isolated) power if I use the Intona. Unless the isolated signal the Intona provides more benefit than just clean power (don't have the background in electronics to know).

 

It would be hard for me to test fairly as testing would require me to add an additional short Curious USB cable, the only extra cable I've got at hand is a 1 meter Nordost Blue Dawn (can't see this extra 1 meter cable addition as a good thing).

 

My conclusion is that the MSB analogue DAC can't be used with the Intona without additional power being supplied, which may make its use irrelevant.

 

Looking forward to the Forums members comments.

 

Regards

Barry

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Hi All

 

I went to my local Memory Express computer parts store and bought two basic certified USB 2 cables, unfortunately the smallest length was 6 ft. I tried to make my MacBook see my MSB Analogue DAC, just using the Intona connected by two basic BUT certified cables, But no luck.

 

Daniel from Intona recommended using the unit with the Uptone regen (acting as a hub) stating the Meanwell SMPS plus SBooster (filter add-on) of the Uptone regen as likely less noisey than the MacBook's power supply.

 

So I tried it, using one of the two basic cables to go between the MacBook and the Intona.

There was a small but noticeable improvement in quality, immediately noticeable after, say, 15 seconds of play on familiar tracks.

 

I've got a 50 cm Curious cable on order for this purpose, and I'm going to hold off on a detailed comparison until it arrives, but I believe my USB chain is ultimately going to look like.

 

Macbook -> 50 cm Curious USB -> Intona -> Vbus isolator ->1.0 meter Lightspeed harmonic USB -> Uptone Regen (Meanwell smps+Sbooster smps filter) -> 20 cm Curious USB -> MSB DAC

 

Regards

Barry

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Hi Barry,

 

Just thinking... If the Intona already cleans the power already, maybe you may not need the Vbus isolator ? If you feel like it, you could test with and without the Vbus Isolator just to see if you really need it ? It's not a matter of price, since the Vbus is not expensive, but it has to do with all the connections ("ins" and "outs") that you have in the chain between your MacBook and the MSB dac... The idea is to have 90 ohms as much as possible in the chain, but the more connections you have, the more the probability that the impedance will be changed throughout the signal journey...

 

Just an idea of course... :)

 

Regards,

 

Hi Alain

 

I'll certainly try this, without the Intona I was surprised at how much of a positive difference cutting off the power along the Lightspeed Harmonic made. Alex from Uptone thought the power running through the cable acted as an antenna which might pick up noise (this might occur whether the power was cleaned up by the Intona or not).

 

Regardless, I appreciate the advice and will try this as ears are the final judge of any of these improvements.

 

I'd love to be able to use the Intona alone, but alas with the MSB DAC this is not to be (sight...).

 

Regards

Barry

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Hi Barry,

 

I understand the situation...

 

I will probably try the Sbus isolator myself (where did you order it ?). I am not sure if it will work here, since there seems to be a handshake between the PC and the NOS1 first, even if the NOS1 does not use the 5V...

 

Don't forget to leave your impressions, even if you do dot hear a difference :)

 

I am about to get a OS-ramdrive that will allow to load Windows all in RAM (from the SSD drive), then remove the SSD, so less spiky draws in PC. I am eager to receive it :)

 

Regards,

 

Hi Alain

 

The Vbus isolator was ordered from a US Sbooster dealer. This was Pro Audio LTD.

 

i emailed [email protected] and dealt with Brian Tucker.

 

regards

Barry

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Hi All

 

I went to my local Memory Express computer parts store and bought two basic certified USB 2 cables, unfortunately the smallest length was 6 ft. I tried to make my MacBook see my MSB Analogue DAC, just using the Intona connected by two basic BUT certified cables, But no luck.

 

Daniel from Intona recommended using the unit with the Uptone regen (acting as a hub) stating the Meanwell SMPS plus SBooster (filter add-on) of the Uptone regen as likely less noisey than the MacBook's power supply.

 

So I tried it, using one of the two basic cables to go between the MacBook and the Intona.

There was a small but noticeable improvement in quality, immediately noticeable after, say, 15 seconds of play on familiar tracks.

 

I've got a 50 cm Curious cable on order for this purpose, and I'm going to hold off on a detailed comparison until it arrives, but I believe my USB chain is ultimately going to look like.

 

Macbook -> 50 cm Curious USB -> Intona -> Vbus isolator ->1.0 meter Lightspeed harmonic USB -> Uptone Regen (Meanwell smps+Sbooster smps filter) -> 20 cm Curious USB -> MSB DAC

 

Regards

Barry

 

Hi All

 

My 0.5 meter Curious USB cable arrived yesterday and I've got the USB chain set up as in the quoted message above.

 

Well, I'm gobsmacking,the Intona improved my MacBook based system by a huge amount. And trust me, it was sounding very nice before.

 

This is just my very tentative impressions, but what I'm hearing improves nearly all aspects of the sound. The first album played is "Jacintha is her Name" by Jacintha.

 

Everything has a more vinyl-like Sound, hard to be more specific but I'm loving it.

i can listen to this for hours without missing my turntable.

 

A more analytical review will follow, when the initial love affair has worn off.

 

regards

Barry

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