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


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3 hours ago, Frojo said:

Don't know how to 'do' diagrams- hopefully a description would make sense... UltraRendu/LPS1.2/UA smps-  IsoRegen/LPS1.2/UA smps-

Chord Qutest/LPS1/UA smps.  All three dc cables are Ghent DC01 with additional copper sleeve with JSG wire.The IsoRegen is uspcb'ed into the Qutest.The three UA smps's are the only items on a power strip fed from a house ring main. The amplification is fed from its own mains feed and earth.

Am i inadvertently defeating GI, through the earthing?

 

As Cornan indicated, you are perfectly fine.  You are not defeating galvanic isolation in any way.  The UltraCap units are "floated"/isolated-output supplies, and for DC they are not in the least effected by the charging side connections.  The ground-shunting of their SMPS chargers is simply to prevent any high-impedance AC leakage from entering the UltraCap box (which because of a few picofarads of transistor capacitance is the one form of leakage that could otherwise squeak across the isolated power domains of our design).

Hope that makes sense.

--Alex C.

 

P.S.  Thanks again for your purchase of multiple units.  All you guys are the best! ?

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@Superdad Alex thanks again!

So as I understand it...(always a dangerous place to begin) the Pro-Ject DAC would draw its power from the LPS 1.2 through the ISO REGEN (so to speak) just as my E2 does.

We would hope the LPS 1.2 could power both the microRendu and the DAC (the DAC through the ISO REGEN) via the Y cable.

If using the LPS for both does not work (as it did not with the E2/ISO combination) we could consider doing with the Pro-Ject DAC what I've done with the E2. Get the power for the DAC/ISO combination from the separate SMPS that came with the ISO REGEN.

And it is understood that we can't be sure until I have the Pro-Ject DAC in hand and can test this out.

Still thinking over the purchase of the Project. If I decide to buy it I will let you know what the outcome is.

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@Superdad

31 minutes ago, Superdad said:

(were you really running the Explorer 2 DAC from 7.5V?)


I guess I was. But it was not a purposeful choice. Let me review how I got to this point.

When I first bought my Explorer DAC I did not own a microRendu. In the room where I wanted to use the E2 I had no computer at all. At that time I was using an iPad as a Roon end point. But as I think you know, the E2 needs power that it generally draws from a USB connection to a computer. Neither the iPad nor my iPhone could provide enough power to the E2. Then I realized -- remember this is months ago -- that if I could connect the E2 to the ISO REGEN that could offer it the power it needed, even thought there was no computer in the chain. It worked perfectly. So I guess, from that moment one I was running the E2 from 7.5V -- if that's what the SMPS that came with the ISO REGEN provides.

It was only when the microRendu and the LPS 1.2 arrived (roughly simultaneously) that I began to have difficulties. As you know you and I both expected I could power the microRendu and the ISO REGEN with the LPS 1.2. And we assumed the E2 could continue to get the power it needs via the ISO REGEN -- now powered by the LPS not its original SMPS.

Again as you know, that did not work. The only workaround was to continue to use the SMPS to power the ISO REGEN while using the LPS to power the microRendu. That did work. So at that point I guess I was again "running the Explorer 2 DAC from 7.5V."

Is there any possibility that could cause some damage to the E2? That seems unlikely because remember, I started using the ISO REGEN/E2 DAC combination months ago when it was the only choice I had.

Now turning to your new (to me) suggestion:

 

44 minutes ago, Superdad said:

I would consider using the one unit to power the DAC and the ISO REGEN.  Sonically, giving clean/isolated power to a 'real' audio component such as a DAC should be the top priority.

 
Starting with the equipment I own now, are you suggesting I try powering the ISO REGEN connected to the E2 with the LPS 1.2? I assume that means the microRendu can run without any power supply at all? Or I could consider using the SMPS that came with the ISO REGEN for the microRendu, as I used it for the ISO REGEN/E2 combination. Or would be too much for the MIcroRendu?

If I purchase the Pro-Ject, and should it turn out that all three devices cannot be powered by the LPS 1.2, then according to this idea I would again use the LPS for the ISO REGEN/DAC combination and either nothing or the SMPS for the microRendu?

Thanks for your patience Alex. I hope I have not muddled this up beyond all recognition...


 

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I received LPS-1.2. Sonority more friendly, decrease grain similar to an anti-aliasing. Touch more in refining, finesse. Most beautiful bass, medium most controlled and high most sweet. Chassis temperature don't hot, not even a little (mRendu 1.4 in 7v output) .Clarity boost. Dynamics not any difference in my setup. Tks uptone!

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I received my LPS-1.2 about three weeks ago. I had to pay custom's duty on it coming into Ireland. I have had three orders from UpTone prior to this and customs did not bother with them. Is this a portent of things to come from Trump's America.

Anyway back to to the LPS-1.2.

It is an exceptional product. It replaced a LPS-1 driving an IsoRegen.

The effect was of the same order as putting a LPS-1 in the system.

The sound is more powerful. It is more three dimensional. The detail retrieval has improved.  When the clarinet comes in on Dave Brubeck 's ' Take Five' the breath on the reed is more noticeable. The squeaking of the neck of the double bass becomes  more prominent.  The reverb of the drums during the solo is easier to hear. 

On Brian Ferry's  'Avalon', during the close out of the title track, his voice is more recognisable among the backing vocals.

The performance of vocalists can be better appreciated.

There is improved solidity to the bass which underpins the musical soundstage.

The music from my system got louder. I have a Tom Evan's Vibe/Pulse2 pre-amp which has a stepped volume control. I had to turn it down a notch from the normal setting I use.

Overall it is a very cost effective upgrade. A not insignificant upgrade in sound quality for a not very significant cost.

For anyone still not sure, just get it. You will not be disappointed.

 

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On 6/25/2018 at 6:56 PM, Geoff1954 said:

Starting with the equipment I own now, are you suggesting I try powering the ISO REGEN connected to the E2 with the LPS 1.2? I assume that means the microRendu can run without any power supply at all? Or I could consider using the SMPS that came with the ISO REGEN for the microRendu, as I used it for the ISO REGEN/E2 combination. Or would be too much for the MIcroRendu?

If I purchase the Pro-Ject, and should it turn out that all three devices cannot be powered by the LPS 1.2, then according to this idea I would again use the LPS for the ISO REGEN/DAC combination and either nothing or the SMPS for the microRendu?

Thanks for your patience Alex. I hope I have not muddled this up beyond all recognition...

 

Hi Geoff:

I think we are confusing each other. ? How about you give me a call next week (leaving to visit my 90-year old father in North Carolina tonight) and we can untangle this all in one shot on the phone.  

Thanks,

--Alex C.

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5 hours ago, scuba8 said:

It is an exceptional product. It replaced a LPS-1 driving an IsoRegen.

The effect was of the same order as putting a LPS-1 in the system.

The sound is more powerful. It is more three dimensional. The detail retrieval has improved.  When the clarinet comes in on Dave Brubeck 's ' Take Five' the breath on the reed is more noticeable. The squeaking of the neck of the double bass becomes  more prominent.  The reverb of the drums during the solo is easier to hear. 

....

Overall it is a very cost effective upgrade. A not insignificant upgrade in sound quality for a not very significant cost.

For anyone still not sure, just get it. You will not be disappointed.

 

Wow, thanks very much for your great descriptions and appreciation for our products.  And welcome to the CA forums!  ?

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On 6/25/2018 at 9:56 PM, Geoff1954 said:

@Superdad


I guess I was. But it was not a purposeful choice. Let me review how I got to this point.

When I first bought my Explorer DAC I did not own a microRendu. In the room where I wanted to use the E2 I had no computer at all. At that time I was using an iPad as a Roon end point. But as I think you know, the E2 needs power that it generally draws from a USB connection to a computer. Neither the iPad nor my iPhone could provide enough power to the E2. Then I realized -- remember this is months ago -- that if I could connect the E2 to the ISO REGEN that could offer it the power it needed, even thought there was no computer in the chain. It worked perfectly. So I guess, from that moment one I was running the E2 from 7.5V -- if that's what the SMPS that came with the ISO REGEN provides.

It was only when the microRendu and the LPS 1.2 arrived (roughly simultaneously) that I began to have difficulties. As you know you and I both expected I could power the microRendu and the ISO REGEN with the LPS 1.2. And we assumed the E2 could continue to get the power it needs via the ISO REGEN -- now powered by the LPS not its original SMPS.

Again as you know, that did not work. The only workaround was to continue to use the SMPS to power the ISO REGEN while using the LPS to power the microRendu. That did work. So at that point I guess I was again "running the Explorer 2 DAC from 7.5V."

Is there any possibility that could cause some damage to the E2? That seems unlikely because remember, I started using the ISO REGEN/E2 DAC combination months ago when it was the only choice I had.

Now turning to your new (to me) suggestion:

 

 
Starting with the equipment I own now, are you suggesting I try powering the ISO REGEN connected to the E2 with the LPS 1.2? I assume that means the microRendu can run without any power supply at all? Or I could consider using the SMPS that came with the ISO REGEN for the microRendu, as I used it for the ISO REGEN/E2 combination. Or would be too much for the MIcroRendu?

If I purchase the Pro-Ject, and should it turn out that all three devices cannot be powered by the LPS 1.2, then according to this idea I would again use the LPS for the ISO REGEN/DAC combination and either nothing or the SMPS for the microRendu?

Thanks for your patience Alex. I hope I have not muddled this up beyond all recognition...


 

 

@Geoff1954 -- you're actually not using 7.5 v on the e2 dac. what's happening is that the iso regen is trying to provide 5 v via usb (usb is always 5v) to the e2.  it can't do it because the lps1.2 is trying to power the microrendu, the iso regen, and the e2 dac but is being asked to provide more than 1 amp (it's max output) to power the three devices.

(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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@jcn3
Thanks. Not to muddle things further but...When I tried to use the LPS 1.2 to power the MicroRendu and the ISO REGEN (attached to the E2) both, it didn't work. That is the E2 did not work. I only solved that by using the SMPS that came with the ISO REGEN to power that and the E2. At that point the LPS 1.2 was only powering the microRendu. It was no longer attached to the ISO REGEN at all.

I just don't have enough technical knowledge to discuss this intelligently here. That's why I'm going to accept Alex's generous offer of a  one-to-one phone session to work this out in practice. :D

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5 minutes ago, Geoff1954 said:

@jcn3
Thanks. Not to muddle things further but...When I tried to use the LPS 1.2 to power the MicroRendu and the ISO REGEN (attached to the E2) both, it didn't work. That is the E2 did not work. I only solved that by using the SMPS that came with the ISO REGEN to power that and the E2. At that point the LPS 1.2 was only powering the microRendu. It was no longer attached to the ISO REGEN at all.

I just don't have enough technical knowledge to discuss this intelligently here. That's why I'm going to accept Alex's generous offer of a  one-to-one phone session to work this out in practice. :D

 

it's really not that you're powering both the microrendu and the iso regen -- you're powering the microrendu AND the iso regen AND the e2 with the lps 1.2.  if you tried another dac that was self-powered (i.e. it has a power plug), i bet you wouldn't have the problem.

(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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39 minutes ago, jcn3 said:

if you tried another dac that was self-powered (i.e. it has a power plug), i bet you wouldn't have the problem.

 Yes, but the E2 DAC is the only MQA-compliant DAC I own.

 

 

40 minutes ago, jcn3 said:

you're powering the microrendu AND the iso regen AND the e2 with the lps 1.2. 

No. You're not understanding me. When I try to power all three together, the E2 does not work, does not function, I get no music.

I have a workaround. And I look forward to my phone call with Alex next week. :D

 

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Hi Alex. 

I've been using my LPS 1.2 at 9V without any issues for the last few months. 

I am repurposing it to run at 7V but can't seem to get out of the amber light mode. 

I've tried disconnecting and powering down several times without any success. 

I'm using the same supplied power supply. 

Please help. 

 

Geoff

 

PH SR7 > MacMini+Uptone MMK Mod > Audirvana 3.2 > re-clocked D-LInk switch/LPS1.1 > sMS-200Ultra/LPS1.2 > tX-USBUltra/PH SR7 > Chord BluDave > Focal Utopia(Norne Silver) or Voxativ 9.87/ Stereo REL G1 Mk II

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9 hours ago, HeeBroG said:

Hi Alex. 

I've been using my LPS 1.2 at 9V without any issues for the last few months. 

I am repurposing it to run at 7V but can't seem to get out of the amber light mode. 

 

Hi Geoff:

Sorry that you are having trouble with your LPS-1.2 unit.  We likely will need to replace it for you.  I received your message to my private e-mail as well.  I am traveling this weekend but will be back in the office on Monday.  I’ll contact you then with an address to mail your unit back for quick exchange.

Thannks,

—Alex C.

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On 6/28/2018 at 7:12 PM, Geoff1954 said:

 

No. You're not understanding me. When I try to power all three together, the E2 does not work, does not function, I get no music

 

Actually, I do. The lps 1.2 doesn't seem to have the ability to provide enough current at 7.5v to power all three.

 

I like the idea of switching the output to 9v - that might work. 

 

Good luck.

(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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There is a known issue with the LPS-1.2 and the microRendu: the microRendu will not start if the DC cable from the LPS-1.2 is already connected when power is applied to the LPS-1.2. The only way to get the LPS-1.2 to power the microRendu is to power up the LPS-1.2, wait until the LED goes green, THEN plug the DC cable into the microRendu.  

 

The ultraRendu and the LPS-1.2 work fine in all ways you can connect and turn them on, it is just the microRendu and the LPS-1.2.

 

So however you want to do it, the LPS-1.2 LED must be green BEFORE you connect the DC cable to the microRendu.

 

The output of the LPS-1.2 takes quite awhile to ramp up (about a quarter of a second) once the LED goes green. The power circuit inside the microRendu does not like this slow ramp time. Plugging the DC cable in gives a MUCH faster ramp time (a couple milli-seconds) which the microRendu is perfectly happy with.  The ultraRendu has a different power circuit which doesn't care about the slow ramp time.

 

Just to be clear it doesn't which matter which end of the power cable is plugged an after the grreen light, you can have:

 

1) the DC cable not plugged in at all, then after the light is green plug the cable into both LPS-1 and minroRendu

 

2) The DC cable plugged into the LPS-1.2 but not the microRendu, after the green light plug the DC cable into the microRendu

 

3) The DC cable plugged into the microRendu but not the LPS-1.2, after the green light plug the DC cable into the LPS-1.2

 

John S.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Okay, I have an LPS-1 currently paired with my Ultrarendu, and I am thinking of replacing it with the LPS-1.2.  It would seem, from many of the reviews I have read on this thread, that the replacement is sonically beneficial and that the upgrade is worth it, so I am not going to inquire about that...   But I have a question...

 

I currently use a 2017 TeraDak DC-30W-TOUCH DC9V 2A as the energizing power supply for my LPS-1.  Can I continue to use the same unit to energize the LPS 1.2?

 

Okay, I actually have a second question :  I got a little greedy about the LPS-1 and wound up getting about 3 of them before the 1.2s came out.  Now that the LPS-1.2 is out and seems to offer such an attractive upgrade, I am feeling a little "stuck" with my previous 3 LPS-1s, and wouldn't mind upgrading them at all, if  Uptone Audio offers an upgrade program.  If they do and it is a fair one, I wouldn't mind using that service, as opposed to trying to sell off my three LPS-1s, before upgrading.

 

Incidentally, I do hate selling on e-bay.

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One more thing:  the audio chain I'm thinking about serving with the 1.2 is curently:

 

Ultrarendu as Roon endpoint (Powered by LPS-1, energized by Teradak PS) ==>> Yggdrasil (USB5, awaiting upgrade to Analog 2)

 

If anyone has the experience of the sonic benefits of an LPS-1.2 upgrade in such a chain, could you kindly share your impressions?

 

Thanks.

 

Patrick

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