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

[Indydan]

I would like to know if anyone is using the Intona with a Rega DAC R? Your impressions, and especially that they work together glitch free. It seems the earlier models of the Intona did not work with the Rega DAC R, because the DAC USB drew too much power.

 

I know the Intona has been revised, but would be happy to hear from Rega DAC R owners that they work well together.

[Indydan]

If anyone is using the Intona Industrial isolator with a Rega DAC R and Mac Mini (or any other source), I would be interested in hearing your opinion on improvements, compatibility, sound quality, etc.

[Indydan]

Hi, since two weeks I use JCat USB Isolator - it is in fact Intona inside, but in nicely build aluminium cage. I use it with my Lampizator DAC and Dell laptop (i7,audio only, Daphile). Happy with the improvement! With Rega there is a small nuance I've heard. They cut the computer port to 16/48. That saying, it seems to be reasonable to buy USB/S-Pdif converter. Might improve too.

 

Thank you for the information. I believe you are talking about the original Rega DAC. It's USB port was limited to 16/48, and was not asynchronous.

 

The current Rega DAC R has an asynchronous USB port that goes up to 24/192.

[Indydan]

I just ordered the Jcat version of the Intona industrial. Has anyone tried the Intona with Audioquest Jitterbugs? I have one Jitterbug in series, and another in parallel. I used both of them with the ifi IUSB3 that I had, with good results.

 

I am wondering if the Jitterbugs might work against the Intona and possibly harm the sound.

[Indydan]

I had tried one and it did nothing with the itona . I tried it every way possible here. This is on my Yggdrasil.

 

Thanks. That is pretty much what I was expecting.

[Indydan]

Same price as intona? Or double in price?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

 

It is not double the price. It is a little more expensive, but still reasonably priced. I paid more to get the JCAT version of the Intona, because the case does look much better.

 

I've had mine for two weeks. It looks and sounds great!

[Indydan]

Sorry for the silly question guys but I understand the Intona is powered directly by the same USB port from the computer, right?

And I also understand that many folks here are plugging in an additional device to "purify" the power coming from the computer.

But if the Intona provides galvanic isolation why would I need to clean the input power? Isn't that what the Intona does in the first place??

 

You don't need to add anything before the Intona. The Intona stops the noisy 5 volts coming from the computer USB, and sends a new clean 5 volt supply to the DAC. You can experiment putting an Audioquest Jitterbug on the computer's USB port, but it is not necessary.

 

And yes, the Intona provides galvanic isolation from the computer. I have the Jcat version of the Intona. I recommend it strongly for anyone using a computer as a server (I use a Mac Mini). I had the ifi iUSB3 for several months before the Jcat/Intona. It is good and improves the sound, but the Jcat/Intona is much better (in my system).

[Indydan]

That's what I thought, thanks! By Jcat you mean the industrial version? why would this be any better thn the normal one? I undertsand that the advantage is only a higher voltage protection?

Thanks a lot!

 

The Jcat USB isolator is the industrial version of the Intona. It is the exact same board. The only difference is the case. Jcat puts the Intona industrial board into a nicer aluminum case. It has been reported by users that the industrial version sounds better than the normal Intona.

 

 

JCAT USB Isolator | JPLAY

[Indydan]

my intona standard is arriving in a few days the black one. if i added a recovery would that be after the intona? would it also have to be lps1 powered. what real improvements could i expect here as the intona also regenerates the signal using fpga's. i would have thought the added recovery just adds pollution where the intona has already cleaned. so the intona on its own would be best. maybe

 

one little thing is a 1.5m cable from imac to intona okay here. from intona to dac i have a 30cm wireworld cable.

 

Respectfully, I don't mean to question or criticise the choices you have made. I believe you would have been better off buying the industrial version of the Intona.

 

With the industrial version, you get a great sound quality improvement, without the hassle and expense of adding other devices, and their wall wart power supplies.

 

I plan on doing a detailed review of the Intona industrial (I have the JCat version). I currently lack the time to go into details. But, I owned the ifi iUSB3 for 5 months. I know it very well. It made a noticeable improvement to the sound.

 

But, compared to the Intona industrial, it is lightweight. In sound quality terms, if the Intona Industrial rates a 10 out of 10, the ifi is a 7. Yes, the Intona Industrial is that much better (in my system).

 

I will give more details when I have the time to do a full review. But the Intona Industrial (or Jcat USB isolator, which is the same thing in a nicer case), is the real deal.

[Indydan]

If you have both the standard and industrial Intonas, please advise the differences you've found between them, cheers.

 

I don't have both, just the industrial version. I have read from Intona on CA and in the Intona review on Audiostream, that people have reported better results with the industrial version with audio.

[Indydan]

Between the jcat and the intona intona i would favour the real intona even though the jcat looks nicer. with the intona i have been told it is built to comply with all international and electrical standards etc. i am assured i am getting a fully spec'd model even im sure the jcat is a good product.

 

I asked Daniel at Intona about the Jcat. He confirmed to me that the board in the Jcat, is the same exact board as in the Intona industrial. The only difference is the case.

[Indydan]

The Itona Industrial has a locking USB. Is that carried over to the Jcat version?

 

Yes.