The Comparison Thread for Recovery USB Reclocker, the Regen and similar devices... (Curated Thread)

[holzmann]

Is there a count of the number of "USB cleaners" on the market right now and what they do and for how much?

 

(I'm going to purposely exclude the AQ Jitterbug from this list.)

 

UpTone Audio Regen ($175 USD) - Re-clocks

Wyred4Sound Recovery ($199 USD) - Isolates & Re-clocks

Intona USB Isolator ($229-$319 USD) - Isolates

Mutec MC-3+ USB ($1030 USD) - Isolates & Re-clocks (but appears to be overkill for most of us)

 

But I am going to add...

 

The Audiophilleo2 MKII USB>SPDIF converter for $579.

 

 

I will also note that each and every one of the aforementioned naturally only improves with the use of a linear PS as well as high-end USB cables. Adding a linear PS seems to be the answer to everything on this forum...

[holzmann]

There's one correction I'd like to make regarding the W4S Recovery description above. It doesn't claim to provide isolation for the USB signal, the only isolation is to the 5V power being provided. That's the same as for the UpTone Audio Regen which also isolates the 5V power, so I believe they should both be described in consistent terms as being USB reclockers. Neither of them provides galvanic isolation of the USB signal which is what the Intona USB Isolator does.

 

Okay. Good to know. It won't let me edit my previous post.

[holzmann]

As well engineered as they are, neither of the above devices fits in the category of the topic of this thread. They are but two in a sea of USB>S/PDIF converters, and by definition they reclock--including becoming master clock for the DAC--because an S/PDIF signal embeds the clock in the line (which the receiver in the DAC has to then sync to and typically strip away and reclock again--all part of the weakness of S/PDIF AES/EBU interfaces which can be debated elsewhere).

 

Products in the category of the REGEN et al, should have a USB B input and a USB A output.

 

Owning, examining, and listening to most all of the devices in this category, I could discuss technical strengths and weaknesses of each design, but as the manufacturer of the leading one (recently past the 3,000 unit mark) it probably not be ethical of me to do so. I will say this: for those of you with a REGEN and a wandering/wondering eye/ear, you might want to sit tight for another month or so as John Swenson and I do have some significant surprises in the works (and they are far enough along for me to be comfortable hinting at them).

 

Have a great week all.

 

--Alex C.

 

Hi, in my humble opinion, people are looking for a simple, compact, single-product solution that combines galvanic isolation (Intona) with re-clocking for say under $299. Otherwise, Intona probably gets my money soon.