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

[Superdad]

29 minutes ago, look&listen said:

Probably most audiophiles be surprised at how much brass audio signals pass through on way to ears.

[Blake]

Hi Alex,  I am having some problems with my LPS 1.2.  The 1.2 has been in my system since April, powering an UltraRendu with no issues.  I leave my system powered on at all times.

 

This weekend I noticed the 1.2 had a solid red LED, and no power was getting to the UltraRendu.  The 1.2 was also hot (too hot to touch for more than a couple seconds).  Previously, the 1.2 was never more than mildly warm.  

 

I unplugged the 1.2 many times to reset it.  Each time, the LED eventually starts blinking red non-stop and won't power the UltraRendu.

[Superdad]

1 hour ago, Blake said:

Hi Alex,  I am having some problems with my LPS 1.2.  The 1.2 has been in my system since April, powering an UltraRendu with no issues.  I leave my system powered on at all times.

 

Hi Blake:

Sounds like your unit has failed.  Please send us an e-mail (via https://uptoneaudio.com/pages/contact-us if you don't already have my private e-mail address) and we can replace your LPS-1.2 right away.

 

I posted about how a small number (but larger than normal for a product of this type) have failed in the field due to how the large, 141-pin regulator on the charging side was being soldered.

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/38595-the-new-generation-ultracap-lps-12-user-impressions-and-questions-thread/?do=findComment&comment=854787

A batch of boards with revised methods (changed aperture mask for that part, different reflow temp curve, etc.) arrived last week, so we think this issue is behind us.

 

Thanks,

--Alex C.

[Blake]

Thanks Alex

 

[Blake]

On 9/10/2018 at 11:41 AM, Superdad said:

 

Hi Blake:

Sounds like your unit has failed.  Please send us an e-mail (via https://uptoneaudio.com/pages/contact-us if you don't already have my private e-mail address) and we can replace your LPS-1.2 right away.

 

 

New replacement LPS 1.2 received.  Thanks for the super fast turnaround and excellent customer service!

[lmitche]

Hi Alex,

 

My new, and second,  LPS1.2 is up and running since Saturday. It is used to power my ISO Regen. As expected, I hear a nice SQ increase vs. the LPS-1 that powered it before.

 

Thanks for the quick shipment as well.

 

Larry

 

 

[kennyb123]

A few months back, I reported positive resulls from swapping an LPS-1.2 for the LPS-1 powering my ISO REGEN.  Last week I received a second LPS-1.2.  This got swapped for the LPS-1 powering my microRendu.  This was another good really move.  

 

I’ll be hanging onto my LPS-1 in hopes it can power Uptone’s hopefully-soon-to-be released network switch.

[seeteeyou]

What's the best way to preserve USB signal integrity for this DAC with Type-C input?

 

 

Should I go for a direct connection like this?

 

https://www.gearbest.com/chargers-cables/pp_1601513.html

Or is it better to use either USPCB with an adapter?

 

https://eternalstardg.en.alibaba.com/product/60655330865-805798341/New_USB_Type_B_Female_to_Type_c_male_converter_connector_usb_3_1_to_printer_female_serial_adapter.html

 

[lmitche]

I like the adapter option best, but you can certainly afford to try both.

 

Watch out the USB C adapters are not as ambidextrous as expected. My samsung s9 phone likes the cable attached in one orientation and not the other with the adpaters I purchased on Amazon. Charging speed varies.

 

It is never easy.

[Jgwtriode]

On another 1.2 tangent.  Vibration isolation.  Does the 1.2 benefit from such?  Yes it does.  With a brass Mapleshade original 3 pt brass under the 1.2 that powers my JCAT Femto USB you can hear a bigger difference than running a silver occ/ oyaide 2.1 mm DC cable!  I have already done similar things under my computers System boot SSD drive and my Music files SSD.  They are braced in the computer chassis so that they can sit on a single foot or cone.  I have found the Mad Scientist TC Blackpod Nanos to work best.  The difference on lps 1.2' is about 1/3 of what I heard on the SSD's with same brass footer.  Those differences easily doubled with the Blackpod footer in each instance.  I don't have another blackpod to run under the 1.2 at the moment but expect when I get another the same level of improvement. 

 

It's all about squeezing every ounce!

 

Happy Listening

James

 

[jamesg11]

Tried any Herbies, by way of comparison ...?

[Jgwtriode]

Try whichever you like!  The main point is that in a very high resolution system you can hear that it makes a difference.  And carefully positioned you can accomplish that with just one foot!  But to do so it has to be rigidly braced. I do use a hard very slightly compliant puck in top under the brace to prevent any extraneous extra vibration being added.  And finally I shim till it's as tight as I fit as possible.   Just saying...it's worth trying!  Photo showing system and music ssd drives done this way with a Mapleshade brass footer and the other a blackpod tc nano!

 

Happy Listening

 

[jaaptina]

https://audiobacon.net/2018/09/20/uptone-audio-ultracap-lps-1-2-out-the-gate-musicality/

 

Nice! 

[Koomy]

Some great info in this thread - thanks to all.

Please excuse the newbie questions.

I have an LPS 1.2 on order which I'm going to use to power my Allo USbridge (the Sparky SBC will be powered separately).

Am I right in thinking that with one of these:

http://www.ghentaudio.com/part/dc11.html

and one of these:

http://www.ghentaudio.com/part/dc99.html

I can power my Singxer SU-1 from the same LPS?

- If so, what would be the correct voltage setting ?

- Would you expect better SQ (compared to having the LPS 1.2 powering only the USbridge)?

TIA.

[Superdad]

5 hours ago, Koomy said:

I have an LPS 1.2 on order which I'm going to use to power my Allo USbridge (the Sparky SBC will be powered separately).

 

That's great.  USBridge "hat" portion (excluding Sparky that is) runs from just 100mA at 5V, plus whatever 5VBUS your DAC draws.

 

5 hours ago, Koomy said:

I can power my Singxer SU-1 from the same LPS?

 

Yes, you can because the SU-1 (converted with the cable you linked to to run from DC) draws very little current.  Way under 0.5A.

 

5 hours ago, Koomy said:

- If so, what would be the correct voltage setting ?

 

5V.  Never higher or you will damage the SU-1.

 

5 hours ago, Koomy said:

- Would you expect better SQ (compared to having the LPS 1.2 powering only the USbridge)?

 

Hard to say, but if powering only one with the LPS-1.2 I might go for powering the SU-1.  Or maybe the other way around.  You can experiment. Depends upon what other PS you have.  Of course two separate UltraCap LPS-1.2 units would be grand, but I am never one to push anyone to part with more money...

 

Cheers,

--Alex C.

[Koomy]

Hi Alex,

Thanks for your advice, much appreciated.

Cheers!

[davide256]

4 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

That's great.  USBridge "hat" portion (excluding Sparky that is) runs from just 100mA at 5V, plus whatever 5VBUS your DAC draws.

 

 

Yes, you can because the SU-1 (converted with the cable you linked to to run from DC) draws very little current.  Way under 0.5A.

 

 

5V.  Never higher or you will damage the SU-1.

 

 

Hard to say, but if powering only one with the LPS-1.2 I might go for powering the SU-1.  Or maybe the other way around.  You can experiment. Depends upon what other PS you have.  Of course two separate UltraCap LPS-1.2 units would be grand, but I am never one to push anyone to part with more money...

 

Cheers,

--Alex C.

@Koomy I find an Ankar battery does as well as HDPLex LPS for powering the Sparky board for interim solution. You might be able to run both devices off the single LPS 1.2 after boot up but if the Ethernet link drops,  it seems the USBridge current draw during link initialization requires the full power of the LPS 1.2 or a secondary power supply for the Sparky board to bring the Ethernet link back up.

[Koomy]

14 hours ago, davide256 said:

@Koomy I find an Ankar battery does as well as HDPLex LPS for powering the Sparky board for interim solution. You might be able to run both devices off the single LPS 1.2 after boot up but if the Ethernet link drops,  it seems the USBridge current draw during link initialization requires the full power of the LPS 1.2 or a secondary power supply for the Sparky board to bring the Ethernet link back up.

Thanks for the suggestion Dave.

I have another LPS (Tomanek ULPS MINI) which I plan to use initially for the Sparky.

Once I get the new cables etc, I'll try various configurations.

Should be interesting.

Cheers.

 

 

 

[littlecx]

hi all I am currently powering ifi micro iusb3.0 with their ipower. is this lps-1.2 a good upgrade? 1.1A current is enough?

[Superdad]

5 hours ago, littlecx said:

hi all I am currently powering ifi micro iusb3.0 with their ipower. is this lps-1.2 a good upgrade? 1.1A current is enough?

 

There are a number of people successfully using the UltraCap LPS-1.2 to power their iFi iUSB3.0.

About the only thing you would want to avoid in that combination is putting a heavy USB 3 VBUS load onto the iFi iUSB3.0 when powering it via the UltraCap LPS-1.2.  As you probably know, the USB3.0 specification standard allows for devices to draw much more current than USB2.0 does.  But you need not worry much about that because there are almost no DACs with USB3 inputs (save for a couple of iFi’s own DACs, but even those do not run at SuperSpeed).  
And I’m assuming you are not using the side ports of your iFi iUSB3.0 to charge your phone or some other current hungry device.
Aside from the above you should be just fine.
 

[littlecx]

9 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

There are a number of people successfully using the UltraCap LPS-1.2 to power their iFi iUSB3.0.

About the only thing you would want to avoid in that combination is putting a heavy USB 3 VBUS load onto the iFi iUSB3.0 when powering it via the UltraCap LPS-1.2.  As you probably know, the USB3.0 specification standard allows for devices to draw much more current than USB2.0 does.  But you need not worry much about that because there are almost no DACs with USB3 inputs (save for a couple of iFi’s own DACs, but even those do not run at SuperSpeed).  
And I’m assuming you are not using the side ports of your iFi iUSB3.0 to charge your phone or some other current hungry device.
Aside from the above you should be just fine.
 

so the dc plug is correct for the iusb 3.0? no need adaptor?

[Superdad]

7 hours ago, littlecx said:

so the dc plug is correct for the iusb 3.0? no need adaptor?

 

That is correct. The UltraCap LPS-1.2 comes with a 27-inch 16awg coax DC cable with 5.5mm x 2.1mm plugs at both ends.  And the DC power input jack of the iFi iUSB 3.0 is also 5.5mm x 2.1mm.

[littlecx]

26 minutes ago, Superdad said:

 

That is correct. The UltraCap LPS-1.2 comes with a 27-inch 16awg coax DC cable with 5.5mm x 2.1mm plugs at both ends.  And the DC power input jack of the iFi iUSB 3.0 is also 5.5mm x 2.1mm.

thank you. I just placed the order today

[Blake]

On 9/23/2018 at 9:18 AM, Jgwtriode said:

On another 1.2 tangent.  Vibration isolation.  Does the 1.2 benefit from such?  Yes it does. 

 

I am using a trio of Stillpoints Ultra Minis, and I also placed a small disc shaped weight on top of the LPS 1.2 to add some weight.  

[jimtranr]

On 9/23/2018 at 8:18 AM, Jgwtriode said:

On another 1.2 tangent.  Vibration isolation.  Does the 1.2 benefit from such?  Yes it does. 

Happy Listening

James

 

 

Four Stillpoint Ultra Minis under mine, and there's a noticeable uptick in openness and dimensionality with them in place. Don't know what, if anything, the increased elevation and consequent additional under-chassis airflow space adds to the mix.