Up Tone Audio USB REGEN

[Kt77]

It is getting very tough to hear differences very subtle if at best. It gets to be a placebo effect for sure. You think since you made a change there should be a change. So not too sure at this point probably NOT on such a small voltage change.
It takes a lot of time with familiar material to sort this stuff out. I am at the point of less messing around and more of just enjoying the music.
The qualities of the music is all over the place too.

I have read, and too much reading most of the time, that going higher on the voltage "warms things up a bit, tone in particular" no pun intended but jacking the voltage runs the chance of over tasking "heating" the Regen. Not going there. I feel no difference in temp now and there should not be since the original MeanWell SMPS supply runs at 7.5 volts. I'm more concerned that the LPS is stable reliable and stays at the setting I have it set at. It does!

I will say the LPS business is booming because of all this.

Hi Den,

I've merely concluded that I'm much like you going to sit back and enjoy the music as it stands, and step away from reading the information on both the Regen or iUSB 3.0 for at least two months, as I can't see much happening with either over said time that's going to sway me one way or the other, well maybe adding that Curiuos Cable USB back onto my want list of at least two more, but as the Supra USB seems to be doing some amazing things " here " I dare not touch a thing outta fear of throwing things out of whack.

My DC-30W LPS arrives tomorrow, which I had the seller preset at 7.8V, as I've played between the settings more found to offer better integration between said devices and the Regen between 6.3 - 7.2 - 7.5 - 7.8 and 8V, where in my system using my own set of priories as it relates to purity of notes, 7.8V strikes me as offering a very airy top end with an added sense of weight and spacious throughout the upper and lower mids that's sounds " correct ", I'm now in the process of trying to find some sort of isolation pad of its exact dimensions, as I much prefer what I hear with a shorter run of say 0.5 - 0.6m USB cabling connected between the Regen going into the iFi Micro iDSD, where I've everything other the said iDSD and Mac Mini atop a Signal Guard Isolation Platform itself isolated from a custom Sound Anchor Stand which weighs all of 70lbs, the Regen | iUSB 3.0 | LPS are set atop a customer sized Symposium Acoustics Svelt Shelf atop a slab of 1.05" granite underneath the stand itself where the USB cabling length was chosen before hand as to make things tidier.

So far, I'm more then happy with these devices, and have begun setting aside a few coins in hopes of seeing what's available in the new year between $1.500 - $2.400?, which is where I draw the line on anything digital due to the fact it's technology chances so rapidly, that today's $4.000 DAC might becomes next years overly priced doorstop, and if said is the case?, I'd much rather have something to which I felt didn't cause me to much of a lost, as well as feel like a fool for not gaining more insight into what's coming around the corner before hand, and wait it out.

Yet, when all is said and done.................., this is in fact the most I've enjoyed listening to music period.............., and have found myself not strictly limited to acoustic jazz as I was during my youth, but every genre of music shot of C&W, and to me............, that's saying a lot, as I've expanded my musical taste as well as mind, and am on cloud nine for the sake of having some of the best hand selected tunes to play then I've had in years, and for me........., there's no looking back.

This has once again proven to be a wonderful quest, and then some.

 

[SWL3600]

It gets to be a placebo effect for sure. You think since you made a change there should be a change.

You can say that again....and again....and again.

 

[bacobits]

I did look at a recommended Curiuos Cable USB "shorty" used to connect the Regen to the DAC. On my QuteHD I use 2 solid connectors to kick it out a bit like 4" where it fits comfortably. So I'll pass on the Curiuos Cable USB. I need to spend another $100+ like a hole in the head. The Supra cable is fine to the computer. Not going there either. See? I'm pratical.

My primary Digital listening is PCM/Red Book using the Cambridge CXC Transport SPDIF connection using a WyWires Litspd Cable, USB streaming on the computer side. I'm not about to rip over 1k CD's to a HD.

It sounds damn good too. It comes down to how much can you squeeeeeze?

So you are using that new iUSB 3 from iFI just came out? How does that compare to the Regen? That's like $399. Looking to the future only I know of nothing running USB 3.

I like the Schiit offerings being a bit future proof with their Plug in upgrades. No DSD but I don't care about that.
And when the time comes I'm sure they will have something to offer.

 

[Kt77]

I did look at a recommended Curiuos Cable USB "shorty" used to connect the Regen to the DAC. On my QuteHD I use 2 solid connectors to kick it out a bit like 4" where it fits comfortably. So I'll pass on the Curiuos Cable USB. I need to spend another $100+ like a hole in the head. The Supra cable is fine to the computer. Not going there either. See? I'm pratical.

My primary Digital listening is PCM/Red Book using the Cambridge CXC Transport SPDIF connection using a WyWires Litspd Cable, USB streaming on the computer side. I'm not about to rip over 1k CD's to a HD.

It sounds damn good too. It comes down to how much can you squeeeeeze?

So you are using that new iUSB 3 from iFI just came out? How does that compare to the Regen? That's like $399. Looking to the future only I know of nothing running USB 3.

I like the Schiit offerings being a bit future proof with their Plug in upgrades. No DSD but I don't care about that.
And when the time comes I'm sure they will have something to offer.

In your case, you've more then capable USB cabling, and like some I'm merely curiuos ( pun intended ) about the Curiuos cable USB, as I've listened to a total of 19 of them ranging between $100 - $1.200 thanks to my friends of mine as well as the folks at the Cable Company, and came away surprised at just how some of the cheaper ones actually sounded more synergistically matched to what I own, and the costlier versions came across as somewhat forced and unnatural to my ways of thinking music reproduction was meant to be felt | heard, so I took notice it was the ones between $200 - $589 that caught my ears more so then the ones above $600.

At the moment, I'm running the iUSB 3.0 into the Regen and enjoying the combination as it seems as some have posted elsewhere to capture the strengths of both devices.........., where the 3.0 has air | presence | wider sound staging capabilities, yet the Regen offers a greater sense of bass definition | weight | rounder and slightly fuller presentation as well as greater insight into the musicians technique as it illustrates their strumming, plucking, striking patterns very clearly as it relates to guitars, upright bass and cellos, and drums in a manner that merely drew me deeper into each | every recording as if heard anew. So I'm more or less merely waiting until I've had the chance to have my Mac Mini modded to be ran with one of the slightly better LPS after the new year, and chill.

But in the meantime, I'd like to make an offer to anyone using either the Regen or 3.0 or even standard iFi iUSB Power, in said my original LPS that is going to be replaced once again tomorrow, and I just don't see holding onto it just for the sake of it, as it was intended as a means of dipping my feet into the waters to see what all the fuss was about, so here's the one in question:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hifi-15W-li...hash=item4adfabf2a2:m:m3K0c3s1HHx3rP8U12eSrgA

I can let it go for $40 including shipping, so by all means feel free to drop me a PM, if you're interested?, as this hoarding stuff is getting to wear on me.............., yet hoarding tubes and cabling............, well that's another story.

And lastly.............., as I've begun to enjoy DXD 705 over sampling files, DSD has become less and less of a concern for me as well, and while my choice of software in A+ doesn't implement PCM to DSD conversions on the fly as of yet, I'm willing to except the trade offs for what I now hear as more refinements | weight and transparency if that makes any sense?.

Yet............., to my ears, it comes down to voicing of ones system, and how well implemented said filters are on ones DAC which dictates the end result of what one hears to begin with, eh!.

Let's the partying continue............, I'm all ears | eyes and shall be following these threads for awhile to come.

 

[Kt77]

Just an update on my cabling array that seems to be the very best combination sonically that I've stumbled upon so far, it consist of using the UpTone Audio recommended once again Supra USB cabling from my Mac Mini ( 1m length ) into the iFi iUSB 3.0 with another Supra USB ( 0.7m ) into the Regen and finally an AudioQuest Dragon Tail link directly into the iFi Micro iDSD DAC and " I'm my system " it present a wonderfully balanced presentation top to bottom, without a sign of veiling or rolling off the top end in the least as reported elsewhere, whether or not this is system | listener dependent or not?, I've to go with a combination to which I'd recommend to anyone using the Regen, or these devices in tandem.

Maybe there's some truth in that maybe those with tube based systems as opposed to solid state, might just be hearing the effects of said designs and can't appreciate what this combination offer?, yet I can state that there are times where once again ones cabling loom should be tried with a combination of some form of silver plated copper, or a purer quality of silver of say at least OCC 6|7N percent, and the same as with the purity of copper, here I'm talking about silver or silver plated copper as far as ones IC leading to their preamp or integrated, and the same from their DAC, where the power cord(s) and speaker cables are copper based, as this seemingly brings about a more cohesive whole where the strengths of both said conductors minimize their weaknesses, and allows for some form of better integration if you will.

Once again, there aren't any right or wrong ways of voicing ones system, yet said end user has to have a basic concept of what's needed, and this is one of those gray areas where us older cats should know better, but there are times where we tend to sit on the fence and aren't willing to invest in anything other then the stock ICs - power cords and some sort of homemade speaker cable and swear it's the best thing since the discover of penicillin, not I.

Let's keep this thread alive shall we, as I think devices like this as well as the upcoming redesigned iFi iPurifier2, are about to rock a whole lotta people's world.

But I'd be wrong?..........., time will tell, but in the meantime stay tuned.

 

[RH67]

Just an update on my cabling array that seems to be the very best combination sonically that I've stumbled upon so far, it consist of using the UpTone Audio recommended once again Supra USB cabling from my Mac Mini ( 1m length ) into the iFi iUSB 3.0 with another Supra USB ( 0.7m ) into the Regen and finally an AudioQuest Dragon Tail link directly into the iFi Micro iDSD DAC and " I'm my system " it present a wonderfully balanced presentation top to bottom, without a sign of veiling or rolling off the top end in the least as reported elsewhere, whether or not this is system | listener dependent or not?, I've to go with a combination to which I'd recommend to anyone using the Regen, or these devices in tandem.

Maybe there's some truth in that maybe those with tube based systems as opposed to solid state, might just be hearing the effects of said designs and can't appreciate what this combination offer?, yet I can state that there are times where once again ones cabling loom should be tried with a combination of some form of silver plated copper, or a purer quality of silver of say at least OCC 6|7N percent, and the same as with the purity of copper, here I'm talking about silver or silver plated copper as far as ones IC leading to their preamp or integrated, and the same from their DAC, where the power cord(s) and speaker cables are copper based, as this seemingly brings about a more cohesive whole where the strengths of both said conductors minimize their weaknesses, and allows for some form of better integration if you will.

Once again, there aren't any right or wrong ways of voicing ones system, yet said end user has to have a basic concept of what's needed, and this is one of those gray areas where us older cats should know better, but there are times where we tend to sit on the fence and aren't willing to invest in anything other then the stock ICs - power cords and some sort of homemade speaker cable and swear it's the best thing since the discover of penicillin, not I.

Let's keep this thread alive shall we, as I think devices like this as well as the upcoming redesigned iFi iPurifier2, are about to rock a whole lotta people's world.

But I'd be wrong?..........., time will tell, but in the meantime stay tuned.

I think most know what they need to get what they want but realistic expectations have to be in order. Cables are like spice that goes on your food, it can enhance but it`s not going to turn a round steak into a rib-eye and cables are not going to turn what is good into great. Cables can and do make differences anywhere from 5% to maybe 20% but that leaves a minimum of 80% that nothing is happening, but it could only take that 5% in the right place for audio heaven.

When people do not get that night and day difference when changing cables they become disillusioned, advertising and reviews gave the hope but if your system is a round steak it`s not going to become a rib-eye but good seasoning can make that round steak better. Just keep expectations real. Now i`m hungry LOL!

 

[Kt77]

I think most know what they need to get what they want but realistic expectations have to be in order. Cables are like spice that goes on your food, it can enhance but it`s not going to turn a round steak into a rib-eye and cables are not going to turn what is good into great. Cables can and do make differences anywhere from 5% to maybe 20% but that leaves a minimum of 80% that nothing is happening, but it could only take that 5% in the right place for audio heaven.

When people do not get that night and day difference when changing cables they become disillusioned, advertising and reviews gave the hope but if your system is a round steak it`s not going to become a rib-eye but good seasoning can make that round steak better. Just keep expectations real. Now i`m hungry LOL!

And in all good fate, I totally get that and understand the most important issue is how well one systems components are implemented as far as merely being capable of presenting said differences in cabling looms to begin with, as not everyone likes meat and potatoes, and might simply rather have a rice pattie and a carrot stick?. Yet and still, the percentages I believe are greater then said stated 5-20%, as I believe and always shall that ones cabling is what actually makes or breaks one overall enjoyment of their system if chosen correctly as a means of enhancing its beauty and sense of correctness if selected wisely and by ear as opposed to measurements or graphs, but as always it's all subjective.

But in the meantime..........., bring on that round steak and baked potatoe, as I do believe in feeding both the body and mind.

 

[BigElCat]

So, how about an update at the two year mark.

I recently added a Singxer F-1 in front of my MusicHall 25.3 DAC. The result is positive and stunning.

I see some guys are running the Uptone Regen above the Singxer F-1.

Any thoughts on this ? Should I do it ?

 

[SWL3600]

I upgraded to the ISO-REGEN powered by the LPS-1. I almost never listen to cd's anymore.

Sounds fricken excellent.

 

[rogerfederer]

just picked up a regen with a linear power supply. installed it in my work system. wow! much clearer sound. will listen to headphones later and those should really tell the tale.

 

[BigElCat]

I was hoping the price would drop, but it hasn't.