ISO Regen very disappointing

[Superdad]

Hi:

We are sorry to hear that your initial experience with ISO REGEN has been less than 100% positive.

If you will contact us directly, either by phone (1-209-966-4377) or email (https://uptoneaudio.com/pages/contact-us), I will provide prompt personal assistance as I do for all our clients.  

 

Based on your description of your system I can already see a couple of factors that might be the cause of the disconnections that have occurred. 

 

[The utility company has cut power to our offices for the day (scheduled replacement of a pole), so I am typing this slowly on my cellphone. Thus I will be brief and also not able to refer you with links to more in-depth discussion of USB galvanic isolation and grounding issues.]

 

It looks to me that your component chain likely has only power supplies which lack earth ground reference. (What PS are you using for the sMS-200?) That is the most likely cause of your issue.  

While that may be easily solvable with a ground wire on one side or the other, there is one very simple step you can do now to prove that lack of ground reference is indeed the cause of your disconnections (we do mention this in the User Guide and this is something that the USB interface by design is not fond of): 

Move the white bat of the red switch on the ISO REGEN to the up (‘ON’) position.  

This will defeat the galvanic isolation feature—though that is only about 20% of the overall “goodness” of our device—and it should eliminate any disconnects. 

(By the way, the competing iFi Audio iGalvanic uses the same USB isolator chip as we do, and they too provide a switch to defeat the GI in not-uncommon cases like yours.)

 

If moving the switch does not cure the problem, then please try reversing you two Curious USB cables. In other words, use the 200mm Curious Link (or our included USPCB A>B Adapter) between you sMS-200 and the ISO REGEN, and then the long Curious cable from the ISO REGEN to your DAC.  Many handmade audiophile USB cables are wildly out of USB 90-ohm spec, and the Silanna isolator chip we use at the input of our piece is not tolerant of some of them. 

 

Let us us know what you find with the above experiments and tests.  There are about 2,000 ISO REGENs in user systems around the world, so we are pretty confident about its design and compatibility.  

Linux-based streamers are generally not not great at re-recognition of hot-swapped USB hubs (what devices such as ISO REGEN are functionally), that’s why rebooting may be required.  

 

Please know that regardless of the outcome, UpTone Audio stands behind its products—and its clients completely. If you are unhappy with your purchase for ANY reason, please allow us to issue a full refund (within 30 days; postage costs are not refunded).

 

As mentioned, our power—and phones—are off for the day. Normally I also do some support over the weekends (otherwise Mondays are a drag if I get behind), but this weekend (beginning this afternoon) I am going hiking and camping in Yosemite National Park with my family.

I’ll watch for your e-mail so we can assist you further at the beginning of the week.

 

Thanks and regards,

Alex Crespi 

[Superdad]

3 hours ago, doublee said:

After a few weeks use the sound is great but the continued disappearance of the DAC in the system is very frustrating.  It stays for maybe 1-3 days and then always drops off.  I have to unplug everything then put DAC on - Regen and then SOTM sms 200.  This doesn’t always work first time . I keep repeating until it shows again in Roon.  Totally down to the ISO Regen addition as the DAC never dropped out previously.  

Im not impressed.

 

Sorry that you continue to have troubles. I wish you would contact us directly for assistance. 

And again: Have you tried putting the red switch of the ISO REGEN in the up (‘ON’) position?