ISO REGEN Listening Impressions (kicked off with some measurements)

[simorag]

New ISO REGEN / LPS-1 combo owner here.

 

My rig is: audio-optimized PC (W2016 Core, Audiophile Optimizer, Fidelizer Pro, Process Lasso, JPLAY / JPLAYstreamer) > Forza AudioWorks USB cable > ISO REGEN(LPS-1) with GI on > USPCB >  Audio GD NOS11 V2 DAC/Amp > Sennheiser HD800S headphones (balanced).

 

Less than 10 hours of burn in, and an improvement on the blackness of the background and on the fullness and depth of the lower bass response was apparent since the very first tracks . Transparency, soundstage size, instrument separation, focus were already great and I am hearing no much has changed in these regards.

 

I am noticing an increase of the energy on the upper treble, which make sometimes the listening experience more fatiguing and less natural than with no ISO REGEN.

Anybody else had a similar experience? I am hoping some burn in (of the equipment or of my brain) will improve even on this and I will be 100% happy.

 

In the meantime, I made some experiments by placing back my old iPurifier2 (which the Uptone combo was meant to replace) between the USB cable and the ISO Regen, and it seems to me that the overall presentation is a tad warmer and the trebles are smoother. Really don't know if there is a physical explanation of this (perhaps just some added coloration I seem to like, or just my brain playing tricks on me) 

 

With this configuration all aspects of my system are better than before the ISO REGEN addition, and the treble issues are mitigated.

 

Will report further if something changes as listening time increase.

 

[simorag]

13 hours ago, agladstone said:

Try placing the ipurifier after the ISO Regen (so I purifier goes into DAC, ISO Regen goes before it (out of computer or music server). 

I have found that by placing the IFI Micro iUSB 3.0 AFTER the ISO Regen has made a significant improvement in sound quality!! 

The Micro iUSB without the ISO Regen is not as good as WITH the ISO Regen, and the ISO after the Micro also not as good. 

 

Thanks @agladstone, my guess was that the last signal management before entering the DAC was best assigned to the most advanced device (IR vs  iPurifier 2), but I'll try the permutation you suggest over the weekend and report back how it goes in my system 

 

[simorag]

On ‎16‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 9:41 AM, simorag said:

 

Thanks @agladstone, my guess was that the last signal management before entering the DAC was best assigned to the most advanced device (IR vs  iPurifier 2), but I'll try the permutation you suggest over the weekend and report back how it goes in my system 

 

 

Following up with further listening, my report is that I am not able to hear differences when placing Ipurifier2 before or after the ISO REGEN. It may be due to lack of sufficient resolution of my ears or of my system, or both 

 

Also, by defeating the GI I get no audible benefits / detriments in all the configuration I tested (IR > USPCB > DAC, IR > USPCB > iPurifier2 > DAC , iPurifier2 > IR > USPCB > DAC).

 

In all cases LPS-1 was present.

 

Finally I confirm that I like IR + iPurifier2 more than both IR alone or iPurifier2 alone, and much more than no IR or iPurifier2.

 

Mostly noticeable improvements with the addition of the IR for me are a more extended and satisfying bass response and a more realistic soundstage, with the instruments still well separated but more organically presented. By adding iPurifier2 I am hearing a reduced harshness in the highs at the (small) price of (slightly) less transparency.

 

By the way, after all the uber-analytical (while enjoyable) effort, yesterday I heard the best Miles Davis Kind of Blue playback I can recall on my system 

 

[simorag]

Hello everybody, especially @Superdad :-).

I have been a happy user of the ISOregen + LPS-1 + USPCB combo since several months now.

I have just got a Chord DAVE DAC, and I am not being able to use the IR in combination with it.

I can play music flawlessly with a direct USB connection between my laptop and the DAVE, but as soon as I add the IR in the chain, Windows does not “see” the DAC, and the DAVE displays “USB no data” on its screen. Tried with many players (HQ Player, JPlaymini, JRiver MC) and obviously, since Windows cannot see the DAC when the IR is in place, no music comes out of my headphones.

Here is what I have tried so far:

1.      Switching off the ISO on the IR

2.      Changing the location of the IR in the chain, i.e. PC > USPCB > IR > USB Cable > DAC or PC > USB Cable > IR > USPCB > DAC

3.      Changing the USB cable (tried three cables, including the stock standard USB cable provided with the DAVE)

4.      Replacing the USPCB with an USB cable

None of the above has worked.

Of course, I tried again connecting my previous DAC instead of the DAVE, with the IR in place, and everything works as usual.

Therefore, the problem seems specific to the interaction between the IR and the DAVE.

I would greatly appreciate any ideas or suggestions!

Thank you in advance,

Simone

 

[simorag]

Hi Alex,

 

thank you for your very quick reply!

 

I am glad to report that the first of your suggestions (powering up the IR last) has worked fine!

 

I am very happy it did work, because I am now addicted to the goodies that the IR brings, I am glad to have them back :-)

 

Again, thank you for your support,

 

Ciao,

Simone