The new generation UltraCap LPS-1.2: USER IMPRESSIONS and QUESTIONS thread

[mozes]

@Superdad

 

Hi Alex

Is it ok to combine one LPS-1 and one LPS-1.2 in series to get 19V? 

[mozes]

1 hour ago, hifiveharry said:

Either I guess. I was wondering if anyone had one 1.2 on each piece. I'm getting in line for a second supply to power my  UltraRendu. I'm also wondering if anyone has tried in on both the IsoRegen or the UltraRendu , and which piece did it make the best difference. Thanks in advance.

Not a direct answer to your query, but I have always found that the closer a PSU is to the DAC, the stronger the impact.

[Superdad]

2 hours ago, mozes said:Hi Alex

 

Is it ok to combine one LPS-1 and one LPS-1.2 in series to get 19V? 

 

Sure, that will work just fine.  Max current is still about 1.1A though.

[kennyb123]

3 hours ago, hifiveharry said:

Either I guess. I was wondering if anyone had one 1.2 on each piece. I'm getting in line for a second supply to power my  UltraRendu. I'm also wondering if anyone has tried in on both the IsoRegen or the UltraRendu , and which piece did it make the best difference. Thanks in advance.

 

I’ll be eager to read your impressions should you get a second LPS-1.2.  I’m presently powering my IR with an LPS-1 and my mR with the second rail of a JS-2.  An LPS1.2 will be shipping in April.  I will make a direct swap of the LPS1.2 with the LPS-1 and have it power the IR.  Then I’ll move the LPS-1 to the mR.  Then I’ll wonder how much better the mR will sound with the LPS-1.2.  ?

[R1200CL]

When my LPS-1.2 arrived, I started to power my Cisco switch with it. The one that Jons says is “perfect”.

 

It doesn’t make sense, but I’m quite sure I got a notable lift in SQ. ?

 

Later I let the LPS-1.2 did the UltraRendu, and a LPS-1 the switch. Not sure how much difference. Is sounds fantastic already. (Modded Meanwell with the shunt). 

 

I have left to put the LPS-1.2 at 5 V for my modded Singxer SU-1. Today LPS-1. 

Will first try a two LT3045 in series first with a LPS-1, and then compare with the LPS-1.2.  LT3045 hould arrive next week.  

 

Since Singxer last in chain, hopefully where the best place for the LPS-1.2 is.

To bad a 500 mA version wouldn’t be half price ?

Will most likely end up buying one or two more LPS-1.2 

 

BTW. My new class D mono blocks arrived from the US today ?

[Superdad]

18 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

Too bad a 500 mA version wouldn’t be half price.

 

You're right, it wouldn't. 

 

18 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

Will most likely end up buying one or two more LPS-1.2 

 

Sure, you are welcome to join the multi-LPS1.2 owner's club any time! 

 

18 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

BTW. My new class D mono blocks arrived from the US today ?

 

Cool, what amps did you get?

[Superdad]

FYI, new thread created for early info and questions about our unique Ethernet switch development product:

 

 

[Albrecht]

On 3/13/2018 at 10:07 AM, Superdad said:

 

Hi Tommy,

 

Saw your order, thanks!

 

Yes, the input voltage range and wattage requirements are different between the original LPS-1 and the new LPS-1.2.

 

LPS-1 needed about 18W and 12V was the highest allowed (so 7.5V/2.5A, 9V/2.0A, 12V/1.5A).

 

LPS-1.2 needs 36W, and the input range extends up to 24V.  So 7.5V/4.8A, 9V/4A, 12V/3A, 18V/2A, 24V/1.5A.  Since your HDPLEX 19V output is capable of more than 2A, that will be fine.  

Hi Alex,

So will this one work? It is a Zerozone 50w and it can be set to 9v/3a or 12v/3a. I just want to be sure..........

 

 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Zerozone-50VA-DC5V-3A-HIFI-Linear-Power-supply-for-amp-DAC-external-PSU-LPS/322475041259?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

 

Cheers,

[Superdad]

1 hour ago, Albrecht said:

Hi Alex,

So will this one work? It is a Zerozone 50w and it can be set to 9v/3a or 12v/3a. I just want to be sure..........

 

Well, 9V/3A is only 27W, but 12V/3A is 36W and would be fine.

 

Only thing is, most of the Chinese units I have tested (with DC electronic load), including a Zerozone in that size range, do not meet their rated current specifications.  Here are pics of a 9V/3A rated Zerozone that I tested.  Output voltage dropped precipitously even under moderate load!

Top number is DC output voltage, second line is current load.

 

A 9V/3A supply that puts out just 7.6 volts at 2 amps?!  Pretty useless.

 

[Albrecht]

3 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

Well, 9V/3A is only 27W, but 12V/3A is 36W and would be fine.

 

Only thing is, most of the Chinese units I have tested (with DC electronic load), including a Zerozone in that size range, do not meet their rated current specifications.  Here are pics of a 9V/3A rated Zerozone that I tested.  Output voltage dropped precipitously even under moderate load!

Top number is DC output voltage, second line is current load.

 

A 9V/3A supply that puts out just 7.6 volts at 2 amps?!  Pretty useless.

 

Hi Alex, Thank you!!  It looks like I need to spend some more money and get a better rated LPS.

 

Cheers,

 

[Superdad]

13 minutes ago, Albrecht said:

Hi Alex, Thank you!!  It looks like I need to spend some more money and get a better rated LPS.

 

Or just stay with the nice UpTone-branded 7.5V/4.8A/36W ground-shunted SMPS we include with the LPS-1.2 and be happy.  

Leakage (and lousy DC output noise levels) are the real evils of an SMPS, but neither are a factor when used as a charger for our UltraCap supplies.  The high-frequency switching harmonics put back into the wall by a modern SMPS are negligible.

[Confused]

48 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

The high-frequency switching harmonics put back into the wall by a modern SMPS are negligible.

Does this apply in general?  As an example, I would expect a well designed piece of audio equipment that has a SMPS to have selected one that performs well in this regard.  But what about the tiny thing that charges my iPhone, the SMPS that feeds my router, or many other consumer products?

[Superdad]

2 minutes ago, Confused said:

Does this apply in general?  As an example, I would expect a well designed piece of audio equipment that has a SMPS to have selected one that performs well in this regard.  But what about the tiny thing that charges my iPhone, the SMPS that feeds my router, or many other consumer products?

 

They certainly do vary.

What is interesting is that some of the quality SMPS units actually suppress/absorb/filter(?) noise which is already present in the wall.  Here is a short video demo I did with the Entech Powerline Noise Meter and the Mean Well SMPS (which we have shipped thousands of, with USB REGENs, ISO REGENs, and the original UltraCap LPS-1).  

Not shown is that after that I tried the same thing with an Apple 12W iPad USB charger block (not the tiny iPhone size charger cube), and the noise went up not down.

 

 

 

[Confused]

@Superdad  Thanks for sharing.  A fascinating clip, and not what I was expecting, that’s for sure.

[Cornan]

36 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

They certainly do vary.

What is interesting is that some of the quality SMPS units actually suppress/absorb/filter(?) noise which is already present in the wall.  Here is a short video demo I did with the Entech Powerline Noise Meter and the Mean Well SMPS (which we have shipped thousands of, with USB REGENs, ISO REGENs, and the original UltraCap LPS-1).  

Not shown is that after that I tried the same thing with an Apple 12W iPad USB charger block (not the tiny iPhone size charger cube), and the noise went up not down.

 

 

 

 

Interesting! Thanks for sharing. That post goes straight to my little bookmark collection for interesting things to follow up! ?

[jdoleys]

I read many messages and I have LPS-1 (use in mRendu 1.4) , USPCB, I've had Regen. I recently switched speakers and DAC so I regain purchasing power to get LPS 1.2. a question for those who already own the LPS-1.2: If they can plug the SMPS into dedicated AC different from the audio devices perceive improvement in quality or not? Tks and congratulations Uptone for new model!

[Geoff1954]

Apologies if this was covered above. I looked but did not see it.

 

The  Wyred 4 Sound PS 1 is a little more expensive than the LPS 1.2, but can power up to 4 devices. Could Alex, John or anyone else offer an explanation for why they believe the LPS 1.2 is a better purchase?

 

Many thanks.

[oneway23]

As someone who is not an electrical engineer, and who knows absolutely nothing about the principles behind why this device is effective, what setting would I use to power my Schiit Yggy, were I to buy this device in the hopes of improving sound quality?  Cheers!

[lmitche]

14 hours ago, Geoff1954 said:

Apologies if this was covered above. I looked but did not see it.

 

The  Wyred 4 Sound PS 1 is a little more expensive than the LPS 1.2, but can power up to 4 devices. Could Alex, John or anyone else offer an explanation for why they believe the LPS 1.2 is a better purchase?

 

Many thanks.

The Wyred 4 Sound PS 1 is an AC(wall power) to DC linear power supply.  The Uptone lps-1.2 is a DC to DC power linear supply. The Wyred 4 Sound PS 1 could be used to energize a lps-1.2 and to isolate the device it powers from any leakage currents generated by the Wyred 4 Sound PS 1. The cleaner lps1.2 power most often substantially raises the SQ of the system. Lastly the lps-1.2 is frequently used to power an Uptone ISO Regen which extends the isolation to the data inputs of a USB DAC.

[Geoff1954]

I'm still trying to understand this...

Let me say first that based on my experience with the ISO REGEN and the unmatched (not to mention patient) customer support Alex offers to go with it, that I have enormous confidence in his products and recommendations. But as Alex knows from an earlier email exchange, I am considering purchase of the Pro-ject S2 Digital DAC. So I am trying to understand if the Wyred 4 Sound PSU offers an advantage because it has been designed to power more than one device.

Thanks again for any further explanation anyone can offer. And for the patience. 

 

 

[pl_svn]

1 hour ago, Geoff1954 said:

Thanks again for any further explanation anyone can offer. And for the patience. 

 

forgive me but... one thought comes to my mind: are you sure about investing more $$$ in the power supply than in the DAC itself? 

[Geoff1954]

Excellent point! I have thought about that myself -- more than once. I bought the ISO REGEN for use with a much more expensive DAC, a Bel Canto 2.5, which I still use. So my original thought about the power supply is for the ISO REGEN in that combination. But I also want a DAC that plays MQA files. Alex has told me the LPS 1.2 may power both the ISO REGEN and the Pro-ject when used together.

 

[pl_svn]

my 2c: leave MQA alone, use the money you save for buying Hi-Res files and get the LPS-1.2 for your ISO Regen 

[Geoff1954]

Thanks for the advice, but I guess we all hear differently. I've bought some HI-Res files over the years and still do occasionally. But I have rarely heard the difference in quality that MQA makes -- on the albums where it makes a real difference. That qualifier is important. ALL MQA albums do not sound better to me. But those that do, sound much better. I know because I already hear the "first unfold" of MQA through my iMac Tidal desktop app. (Or through Roon when I play a file I know is MQA via an inexpensive Meridian Explorer 2 DAC which I already own.)

I know others do not hear a difference. And others hate MQA for other reasons. Not looking for an argument about it. We all need to trust our own ears. Mine are by NO means perfect so I never urge anyone to take my word for any of this.

 

[Superdad]

On 4/13/2018 at 5:37 PM, Geoff1954 said:

The  Wyred 4 Sound PS 1 is a little more expensive than the LPS 1.2, but can power up to 4 devices. Could Alex, John or anyone else offer an explanation for why they believe the LPS 1.2 is a better purchase?

 

While I think the Wyred4Sound is a nifty box, it is quite different from our UltraCap LPS-1.2.

 

UpTone's UltraCap supplies are completely "floated"/isolated units, where the DC output is never connected to the AC mains in anyway (the whole bank-alternating as explained on the web page).  Think of it more like a battery--except with lower noise and lower output impedance.  And the new LPS-1.2 uses a pair of the lowest noise, lowest output-impedance, highest PSRR regulators made--the wonderful LT3045.

 

With the Wyred4Sound PS-1, each 1 amp output module shares its DC zero-volt "ground" with the other installed modules.  This is not ideal if you are trying to establish isolation between devices.

 

With regards to price, the base price of the W4S PS-1 is $399--but that is without ANY DC output modules.  One 1A module brings it to $524; if you add a second 1A module you are at $649, four 1A modules gets you to $899, or a unit with just one 1A module and one 2A module is $1,024.

Contrast that with our own choke-filtered, dual-output, 5-7 amp JS-2 at $925.

 

Hope that helps a little.