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Using the ISO Regen with Phasure LUSH USB Cable


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1 hour ago, kennyb123 said:

Relative to the USPCB, there is a very slight smearing of the upper frequencies with the Lush.  High hats are crisper and more "right" to my ears with the USPCB.  Has anyone else noticed this?  And if so, might I expect further burn-in time to help?  I have only 5 days on the Lush so far.

 

(For my comparisons, the ISO REGEN was left feeding my DAC via a USPCB.  I swapped only what connected my microRendu to the ISO REGEN).

Kenny, did you try the Lush between the ISO Regen and DAC? That is the sweet spot for most of us.

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

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12 minutes ago, lmitche said:

Kenny, did you try the Lush between the ISO Regen and DAC? That is the sweet spot for most of us.

 

I did early on but preferred it the other way.  Too much focus/precision was lost.  

 

A few who prefer the Lush into the DAC have the SoTM trifecta, This really dials in the precision relative to my microRendu based on what I heard in a friend's system.  Maybe the Lush better balances things out following all that clocking - whereas I don't have all that clocking so I benefit more from having the ISO REGEN just before my DAC?  I'm just speculating of course.

 

I'll give the Lush another try between ISO REGEN and DAC and report back.

Digital:  Sonore opticalModule > Uptone EtherRegen > Shunyata Sigma Ethernet > Antipodes K30 > Shunyata Omega USB > Gustard X26pro DAC < Mutec REF10 SE120

Amp & Speakers:  Spectral DMA-150mk2 > Aerial 10T

Foundation: Stillpoints Ultra, Shunyata Denali v1 and Typhon x1 power conditioners, Shunyata Delta v2 and QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation and Infinity power cords, QSA Lanedri Gamma Revelation XLR interconnect, Shunyata Sigma Ethernet, MIT Matrix HD 60 speaker cables, GIK bass traps, ASC Isothermal tube traps, Stillpoints Aperture panels, Quadraspire SVT rack, PGGB 256

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 8/17/2017 at 2:13 PM, kennyb123 said:

Lush between ISO REGEN and my DAC sounds pretty darn good this time around.

Just got my 9V iFi powered ISO Regen and USPCB . It replaced a W4S Recovery & Curious Regen Link with iFi 9V

 

At first, I placed it as Auralic Aries -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> ISO Regen ->  USPCB -> DAC

 

There's more detail but the sound was also a lot drier, with less body and the flow less musical. In short, I didn't enjoy it.

 

I then remembered reading this thread and  switched it around ie. Auralic Aries -> USPCB -> ISO Regen -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> DAC

 

The sound was fuller and more musical but still a little edgy and not as musical as either the W4S Recovery & Curious Regen Link with iFi 9V or even without any USB fixer.

 

How long does it take to break in and does the edginess and sibilance dissipate?

 

Has anyone tried it with a Curious Regen Link instead of the USPCB?

 

I am trying to guess whether it is the USPCB causing the dryness since switching it the other way around ie. with Auralic Aries -> USPCB -> ISO Regen -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> DAC improved things like is the case with the Lush cable here?

 

Or that I just do not like the ISO Regen.

 

Unfortunately, I no longer have the W4S Recovery nor the Curious Regen Link.

 

Thanks

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3 hours ago, mikey8811 said:

Just got my 9V iFi powered ISO Regen and USPCB . It replaced a W4S Recovery & Curious Regen Link with iFi 9V

 

At first, I placed it as Auralic Aries -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> ISO Regen ->  USPCB -> DAC

 

There's more detail but the sound was also a lot drier, with less body and the flow less musical. In short, I didn't enjoy it.

 

I then remembered reading this thread and  switched it around ie. Auralic Aries -> USPCB -> ISO Regen -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> DAC

 

The sound was fuller and more musical but still a little edgy and not as musical as either the W4S Recovery & Curious Regen Link with iFi 9V or even without any USB fixer.

 

How long does it take to break in and does the edginess and sibilance dissipate?

 

Has anyone tried it with a Curious Regen Link instead of the USPCB?

 

I am trying to guess whether it is the USPCB causing the dryness since switching it the other way around ie. with Auralic Aries -> USPCB -> ISO Regen -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> DAC improved things like is the case with the Lush cable here?

 

Or that I just do not like the ISO Regen.

 

Unfortunately, I no longer have the W4S Recovery nor the Curious Regen Link.

 

Thanks

It is most likely the iPower, this supply has more leakage current than any other supply I have tested. Is there any way you can use a linear supply to power the ISO REGEN?

 

Thanks,

 

John S.

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20 minutes ago, JohnSwenson said:

It is most likely the iPower, this supply has more leakage current than any other supply I have tested. Is there any way you can use a linear supply to power the ISO REGEN?

 

Thanks,

 

John S.

Hi

 

Thanks for getting back.

 

No, I do not have access to a linear power supply.

 

The iPower worked fine with the W4S Recovery. It was better than the switching power supply the Recovery came with.  And overall, the iPowered Recovery with the Curious Regen Link was an improvement over just the Cardas USB cable to the DAC, without a USB fixer.

 

I am finding an edginess now in the overall sound. I prefer just the Cardas USB cable to the DAC, without the iPowered ISO Regen & USPCB.

 

So if what I am hearing is not because the unit isn't broken in, It may just be a case of a mismatch with my system since I have read many glowing reviews of the ISO Regen. So I guess it's one of those things you really need to hear in your system to find out. I'll let it settle in for a while and report back if things improve.

 

So while logically, the correct chain of connection should be:

 

Auralic Aries -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> ISO Regen ->  USPCB -> DAC

 

Does having

 

Auralic Aries -> USPCB -> ISO Regen -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> DAC

 

defeat the USB regenerative or galvanic isolation functions of the ISO Regen, even though I find it sounds better?

 

I read somewhere that the USPCB is impedance matched to the ISO Regen - sorry for asking a silly question but is it impedance matched to the input or the output of the ISO Regen ie. it doesn't really matter which way it is linked to it.

 

 

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2 minutes ago, mikey8811 said:

Hi

 

Thanks for getting back.

 

No, I do not have access to a linear power supply.

 

The iPower worked fine with the W4S Recovery. It was better than the switching power supply the Recovery came with.  And overall, the iPowered Recovery with the Curious Regen Link was an improvement over just the Cardas USB cable to the DAC, without a USB fixer.

 

I am finding an edginess now in the overall sound. I prefer just the Cardas USB cable to the DAC, without the iPowered ISO Regen & USPCB.

 

It may just be a case of a mismatch with my system since I have read many glowing reviews of the ISO Regen. So I guess it's one of those things you really need to hear in your system to find out. I'll let it settle in for a while and report back if things improve.

 

So while logically, the correct chain of connection should be:

 

Auralic Aries -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> ISO Regen ->  USPCB -> DAC

 

Does having

 

Auralic Aries -> USPCB -> ISO Regen -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> DAC

 

defeat the USB regenerative or galvanic isolation functions of the ISO Regen, even though I find it sounds better?

 

 

No,  putting the USPCB before the ISO REGEN does not change the isolation.

 

With the Recovery you have a leakage loop from the computer through the Recovery to your DAC. The leakage from the Recovery power supply adds to that. With the ISO REGEN the loop from the computer is blocked but you now have a loop from the supply powering the ISO REGEN going to the DAC.

 

Try flipping the red switch on the ISO REGEN away from the "ISO" position and see what that does.

 

You MAY have a had a setup where the leakage from the iPower was going back through the Recovery creating a loop to the computer PS rather than going to the DAC, with the ISO REGEN that path is blocked so now all its leakage goes through the DAC. If this is the case flipping the switch should put it back the way it was. If so you should get even better sound by having the switch in ISO and powering the ISO REGEN from a linear supply.

 

John S.

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1 hour ago, JohnSwenson said:

No,  putting the USPCB before the ISO REGEN does not change the isolation.

 

 

John S.

 

OK, so the position of the USPCB pre or after ISO Regen doesn't matter in terms of functionality. If that's the case, why do I prefer the sound with the Cardas USB cable going after the ISO Regen to the DAC? Is that because it adds a coloration that I like?

 

Quote

With the Recovery you have a leakage loop from the computer through the Recovery to your DAC. The leakage from the Recovery power supply adds to that. With the ISO REGEN the loop from the computer is blocked but you now have a loop from the supply powering the ISO REGEN going to the DAC.

 

I am not sure I understand where we are heading with this.

 

If I read you correctly, then you are saying the leakage to the DAC is compounded when I am using the Recovery with the iPower ie. from both devices.

 

In contrast, with the iPowered ISO Regen, the leakage to the DAC is solely from the the iPower and is therefore less.

 

Is this correct? If that is so, do I prefer the iPowered Recovery to the iPowered ISO Regen because it has added noise which causes a coloration I like?

 

I also prefer just the Cardas USB cable to the DAC sans ISO Regen and USPCB.

 

Quote

Try flipping the red switch on the ISO REGEN away from the "ISO" position and see what that does.

 

 

Flipping the red switch is the first thing I did although in the "normal" chain configuration of:

 

Auralic Aries -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> ISO Regen ->  USPCB -> DAC

 

I found that it made just a little difference. I preferred the red switch in the "ISO" position marginally with the above setup.

 

Changing the chain to:

 

Auralic Aries -> USPCB -> ISO Regen -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> DAC

 

made for a bigger and better difference but the sound was still slightly edgier than:

 

Auralic Aries ->  Cardas Clear High Speed -> DAC  (ie. with the ISO Regen and USPCB completely removed from the chain)

 

Quote

You MAY have a had a setup where the leakage from the iPower was going back through the Recovery creating a loop to the computer PS rather than going to the DAC, with the ISO REGEN that path is blocked so now all its leakage goes through the DAC. If this is the case flipping the switch should put it back the way it was. If so you should get even better sound by having the switch in ISO and powering the ISO REGEN from a linear supply.

So will flipping the switch away from ISO with

 

Auralic Aries -> USPCB -> ISO Regen -> Cardas Clear High Speed -> DAC

 

be an improvement in this case? Is this what you meant? I have not tried this and will do so tomorrow when i have more time.

 

Why would I be getting better sound when the isolation is defeated? Isn't that counter-intuitive to the motivation behind the ISO Regen?

 

Thanks

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok so I just had the lush placed before the ISO regen > uspcb the sound was not good. Music was very smooth but had lost its ambience. Now I have the uspcb>ISO regen >lush........the magic is back and much more! 

Speakers [Audio Physic Virgo V] Amps [Musical Fidelity 750k x 2] Pre [Musical Fidelity A1 FBP] DAC [North Star Supremo] Transport [North Star Magnifico] Power [Acoustic Revive RTP-6 Ultimate] Cables [Acoustic Revive] Rack [Finite Elemente Pagode Signature] Room Tuning [Acoustic Revive RWL-3 & RR-77] Streamer [Auralic Aries +  Phasure Lush USB > Uptone Iso Regen + Lps 1]

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3 hours ago, musical physic said:

Ok so I just had the lush placed before the ISO regen > uspcb the sound was not good. Music was very smooth but had lost its ambience. Now I have the uspcb>ISO regen >lush........the magic is back and much more! 

I experienced the same thing ..... at the beginning. 

Then after at least a month of use I tried the "Lush 1st" placement and now prefer that configuration. Go figure?!?!

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17 hours ago, Doak said:

I experienced the same thing ..... at the beginning. 

Then after at least a month of use I tried the "Lush 1st" placement and now prefer that configuration. Go figure?!?!

What's your experience with just the lush in your playback chain? 

Speakers [Audio Physic Virgo V] Amps [Musical Fidelity 750k x 2] Pre [Musical Fidelity A1 FBP] DAC [North Star Supremo] Transport [North Star Magnifico] Power [Acoustic Revive RTP-6 Ultimate] Cables [Acoustic Revive] Rack [Finite Elemente Pagode Signature] Room Tuning [Acoustic Revive RWL-3 & RR-77] Streamer [Auralic Aries +  Phasure Lush USB > Uptone Iso Regen + Lps 1]

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17 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

Regardless of which order you settle on (I have tried both ways), the ISO REGEN and Lush together are a sonically lovely match!  Like many of you, I am getting the best SQ ever from this pairing. (But wow, the Lush sure benefits from a couple hundred hours of use.)

Bravo @PeterSt!  

I think I should send him an ISO REGEN next month so he can hear the synergy for himself. Yes I know he already has galvanic isolation at the input of his DAC in the form of his Silanna-based (as used in the ISO REGEN) Phisolator, but he could put our piece at the computer end.

I was almost about to order 2 USPCB despite I don't feel 100% confident using those with the available space (needs to move pre and DAC and even then, to align pre + 15" MBPr + USB Regen sandwiched by 2 USPCB + DAC will take quite a lot of unusual space) + sliding in and out often since the MBPr serves other usages ; and you seem to suggest that 1 USPCB + Lush would sound better ? (would be more convenient though more expensive)

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On 15/09/2017 at 1:42 AM, Doak said:

I experienced the same thing ..... at the beginning. 

Then after at least a month of use I tried the "Lush 1st" placement and now prefer that configuration. Go figure?!?!

 

Hey Doak,

 

i just tried the Lush before the ISO regen and the resolution is much clearer and the music breathes easier. Definitely this placement is a winner in my system now. The sound from when I first got the cable has totally transformed. This Lush cable really needs a good burn in

Speakers [Audio Physic Virgo V] Amps [Musical Fidelity 750k x 2] Pre [Musical Fidelity A1 FBP] DAC [North Star Supremo] Transport [North Star Magnifico] Power [Acoustic Revive RTP-6 Ultimate] Cables [Acoustic Revive] Rack [Finite Elemente Pagode Signature] Room Tuning [Acoustic Revive RWL-3 & RR-77] Streamer [Auralic Aries +  Phasure Lush USB > Uptone Iso Regen + Lps 1]

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2 hours ago, musical physic said:

 

Hey Doak,

 

i just tried the Lush before the ISO regen and the resolution is much clearer and the music breathes easier. Definitely this placement is a winner in my system now. The sound from when I first got the cable has totally transformed. This Lush cable really needs a good burn in

"Sounds" like I'll have to move it back and take another listen. 

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 9/23/2017 at 6:24 AM, Doak said:

"Sounds" like I'll have to move it back and take another listen. 

Doak:

Initially, you preferred the Lush USB cable after the ISO Regen. Then you wrote, that after a month you put the Lush before the ISO Regen and preferred that configuration. Almost a month has passed since you wrote the quoted post above. Did you move it back and, if so, what configuration would you now say sounds best in your system? Or, might it possibly be a wash?

"Relax, it's only hi-fi. There's never been a hi-fi emergency." - Roy Hall

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - William Bruce Cameron

 

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2 hours ago, lmitche said:

Yesterday, I moved my ISO Regen back behind the PC and before the lush cable. The image improved with a big, and wonderful, increase in density.

Agreed, and darn too.  Such a pia to be located there...makes my pc stick out too far into the room lol

Ryzen 7 2700 PC Server, NUC7CJYH w. 4G Apacer RAM as Renderer/LPS 1.2 - IsoRegen/LPS-1/.2 - Singxer SU-1/LPS1.2 - Holo Spring Level 3 DAC - LTA MicroZOTL MZ2 - Modwright KWA 150 Signature Amp - Tidal Audio Piano's.  

.

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5 hours ago, Allan F said:

Doak:

Initially, you preferred the Lush USB cable after the ISO Regen. Then you wrote, that after a month you put the Lush before the ISO Regen and preferred that configuration. Almost a month has passed since you wrote the quoted post above. Did you move it back and, if so, what configuration would you now say sounds best in your system? Or, might it possibly be a wash?

Well,, the ISO Regen IS now directly behind the the DAC, BUT the IR is connected to the DAC with "stubbie" of my own design which has a lot of the flavor, IMO, of the LUSH. The two mini-USBs times the two configurations yields four setup possibilities with four gradients of "LUSHosity" - the config now in use being the 3rd degree. (I think) :D

 

I expect the amount of the effect one wishes to invoke is both system and user dependent.  It is great to have the options - even if they are two. 

2E67C4CE-6DDE-4F8F-A2A7-D6143379EB34.jpeg

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7 hours ago, lmitche said:

Yesterday, I moved my ISO Regen back behind the PC and before the lush cable. The image improved with a big, and wonderful, increase in density.

So that setup of device sequence is now ...?

macmini M1>ethernet / elgar iso tran(2.5kVa, .0005pfd)>consonance pw-3 boards>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360)>etherRegen(js-2)>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360) >ultraRendu (clones lpsu>lps1.2)>curious regen link>rme adi-2 dac(js-2)>cawsey cables>naquadria sp2 passive pre> 1.naquadria lucien mkII.5 power>elac fs249be + elac 4pi plus.2> 2.perreaux9000b(mods)>2x naquadria 12” passive subs.

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