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ISO REGEN Listening Impressions (kicked off with some measurements)


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11 minutes ago, MisterRogers said:

Can you all please confirm successful use feeding either SU-1 or MC-3+?

I am using it with an SU-1.  So far I have only listened to a few songs but no issues with crackling noise.  What SU-1 output are you using?  I am only using I2S.

12TB NAS >> i7-6700 Server/Control PC >> i3-5015u NAA >> Singxer SU-1 DDC (modded) >> Holo Spring L3 DAC >> Accustic Arts Power 1 int amp >> Sonus Faber Guaneri Evolution speakers + REL T/5i sub (x2)

 

Other components:

UpTone Audio LPS1.2/IsoRegen, Fiber Switch and FMC, Windows Server 2016 OS, Audiophile Optimizer 3.0, Fidelizer Pro 6, HQ Player, Roonserver, PS Audio P3 AC regenerator, HDPlex 400W ATX & 200W Linear PSU, Light Harmonic Lightspeed Split USB cable, Synergistic Research Tungsten AC power cords, Tara Labs The One speaker cables, Tara Labs The Two Extended with HFX Station IC, Oyaide R1 outlets, Stillpoints Ultra Mini footers, Hi-Fi Tuning fuses, Vicoustic/RealTraps/GIK room treatments

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1 hour ago, MisterRogers said:

I've reached out to Alex about this, but my unit doesn't work. When feeding an SU-1, I get crackling noise. When I switch it to my other system (feeding an MC-3+) I can't get a signal lock. 

 

Can you all please confirm successful use feeding either SU-1 or MC-3+?

 

Mike: I just sent you a reply.  You got a bum unit.  We have been screening them carefully but a few got through. (Really sorry gang)  I have an expensive USB protocol analyzer en route (same model as the one I bought for John a couple of years ago), so we can set up a more stringent test system in production.

 

The cracking you hear is difficulty connecting and partial data drops.  Not normal at all (the device is supposed to be bit-perfect of course!), and not related to the other gear you are using.  

While we have not tested with a Mutec MC-3+, the ISO REGEN should be 100% compatible with all USB audio devices.  We tested it with plenty in development, and the hub chip we use was chosen partially for its strong record of compatibility (there are literally millions of them in the field).

You asked about Singxer SU-1: I have one and have used the ISO REGEN with it extensively.

Again, this is not a compatibility issue.  This is a Q.C. issue.  We screwed up!  Here's hoping that it is just a few units.  

And of course we will make sure that anyone that experiences a problem gets taken care of as quickly as possible.
 

--Alex C.

 

 

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Literally just plugged in the ISO Regen.  Like @Doak said earlier, the sound it very clean but I find it also has an organic nature to it that wasn't there before.  Listening to Giovanni Miabassi Trio's Live at the Blue Note, Tokyo, the most striking element is the clarity of the symbals -- there's a realism and presence I haven't experienced before.

 

Look forward to seeing how things change as it burns in!

(1) holo audio red (hqp naa) > chord dave > luxman cl-38uc/mq-88uc > kef reference 1
(2) simaudio moon mind 2 > chord qutest > luxman sq-n150 > monitor audio gold gx100
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7 minutes ago, kennyb123 said:

One other thing I tried was defeating isolation with that little switch on the back of the ISO REGEN.  There was an obvious loss in magic.  So it appears galvanic isolation in the ISO REGEN can benefit even DACs that are said to be galvanically isolated, such as my Hugo TT.

 

I am not sure if I understand you right or not? Do you mean that the GI switch gave you a loss in magic, but it still improved upon your Hugo TT? This would make assume it is the re-clocking that are the real improvement with the ISO Regen in your setup so far. Right or wrong?

 

 

 

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8 hours ago, scan80269 said:

 

What's also incredible to me is how a USB improvement brought by the ISO REGEN can change the sound of my Holo Audio Spring DAC so much, considering the Spring is currently configured for I2S input driven by my modified Singxer SU-1 DDC with the ISO REGEN located upstream.  In this configuration, USB is one complete box removed from the Spring DAC.  If anything, this is a testament to the importance of signal integrity for an audio transport bus that does not carry actual audio clocking.

 

I'm secretly hoping UpTone can keep churning out products to clean up other interfaces utilized to transport digital audio, such as Ethernet and I2S.

 

 

 

Dagnabbit @scan80269 - I haven't even finished the mods on my SU-1 and now it looks like I need to add an ISO REGEN too! ;)

 

A nice problem to have tho. And given the apparent queue for ordering the latest Uptone treat it seems I'll at least have time to get the S-1 mods done and get used to it before adding this into the mix.

 

Cheers,

Alan

Synergistic Research Powercell UEF SE > Sonore OpticalModule (LPS-1.2 & DXP-1A5DSC) > EtherRegen (SR4T & DXP-1A5DSC) > (Sablon 2020 LAN) Innuos PhoenixNet > Muon Streaming System > Grimm Audio MU1 server > (Sablon AES) Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC > PS Audio M1200 monoblocks > Salk Sound Supercharged Songtowers

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I got notice today my ISO Regen will be delivered tomorrow (London address). Are you using those new rocket fuelled drones for delivery Alex @Superdad

??

Topaz 2.5Kva Isolation Transformer > EtherRegen switch powered by Paul Hynes SR4 LPS >MacBook Pro 2013 > EC Designs PowerDac SX > TNT UBYTE-2 Speaker cables > Omega Super Alnico Monitors > 2x Rel T Zero Subwoofers. 

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I think some credit needs to go to the PCUSB A>B adapter, for helping to preserve the excellent signal integrity of the ISO REGEN USB output all the way to the DAC/DDC input.

 

For those adding ISO REGEN between microRendu and DAC/DDC, I recommend using PCUSB at both ends of the ISO REGEN.  Use the rotated PCUSB if necessary.  The signal integrity characteristics of PCUSB A>B adapter are second to none, so it's best to avoid using anything else (including those cheap $1 hard adapters).

 

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9 minutes ago, Solstice380 said:

My impression is short but infinitely long.  "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"  With the ISOREGEN I was quickly able to let my mind go, stop listening to my already nice sounding system and be drawn into the music.  This product is legit.  It didn't just replace an Amber REGEN plus Intona, it easily surpassed the combo. 

 

[Boldface added by me.]

 

Now you are talking!  I am looking forward to lots of people making the comparison you did.  During development we compared the ISO versus all the competitive devices I have on hand, so while we knew the results, they are far more meaningful coming from users.

 

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26 minutes ago, Jud said:

Should that be UP/OFF, or is it really UP/ON that switches GI off?  (I'm not at home to look for myself.)

You are correct.  The up position is marked ON.  The down position is marked ISO.  The up position marked ON turns GI off. 

Pareto Audio AMD 7700 Server --> Berkeley Alpha USB --> Jeff Rowland Aeris --> Jeff Rowland 625 S2 --> Focal Utopia 3 Diablos with 2 x Focal Electra SW 1000 BE subs

 

i7-6700K/Windows 10  --> EVGA Nu Audio Card --> Focal CMS50's 

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1 minute ago, tboooe said:

I have one of those low noise voltage regulator boards from ebay that I can use to convert to 5vdc.  I will give it a try this weekend.

Sounds good.  I am currently powering both SU-1 and IsoRegen using separate LPS-1's, and both are set at 7VDC with good result.  I plan to try at least once using a Y-connector powering both with one LPS-1 to see if there are detectable differences, but so far, adding IsoRegen into my chain has made a great step forward.

 

FWIW, I am using LT3045 step down regulator soldered at the end of internal cable, right above the connector before the main board 5V input.  Since this regulator output noise is quite low, it may have contributed to a nice improvement I experienced.  Not sure if the regulator you plan to use having lower noise level than LPS-1 puts out, hopefully you will get the same effect I have.  Let me know if you want to try one with LT3045.

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13 minutes ago, elan120 said:

I am another one joining the WOW – this is amazing club!

 

Got the shipment yesterday, installed both IsoRegen and LPS-1 to my chain and power up for about 3 hours while finishing up other chores.  Once I started listening to this new configuration, my feeling was wow, this is amazing.  The music becomes more musical, more defined detail, more engaging, better impact, and is now much easier to get drawn into the music, in the meantime, hard to stop playing next track.  This new-found experience is quite a good surprise to me since I have been searching for ways to improve my system for a short while, especially the last few months with different mods that made very positive incremental improvements to the point I thought will be hard to gain sizable improvement, then IsoRegen changed that right away.  Alex and John sure hit a home run with this new product, and I am very happy having one in my setup.

 

As for reference, my current temporary setup consists of HQPlayer > NAS > ROON server > wifi router > FMC > ROON endpoint > iMicro USB > Gemini USB Cable > IsoRegen (LPS-1) > modified SU-1 (LPS-1) > Holo Spring LTE (level 3) > iCan Pro > Norne Audio Silvergarde S2 > HD800S

 

That iMicro USB seems superfluous in that chain.

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