UpTone Audio ISO Regen Listening Impressions
May 10, 2019 at 3:38 PM Post #121 of 130
Yep, you're right but I can make another test with the following config:

PC -> QED Reference USB cable -> nano iGalvanic3.0 -> included iFi USB3.0 cable -> nano iUSB3.0 -> Chord Signature Tuned Aray USB cable -> Chord Qutest

The cable between Sbooster and ISO Regen is isolated and seems decent. I have also a Ultra MKII additional filter but it is not supported with ISO Regen. The Chord Signature cable will ensure that the iUSB3.0 will not be dragged down by the cheap cable I've used in this test but I doubt it will dethrone the ISO Regen. Because now I use ISO Regen with USPCB which cannot be compared with the USB cable I used at the output of the iFi filter.

Unfortunately, I cannot power the nano iUSB3.0 with a LPS because I just sold my Chord 2Qute which had a 12V LPS. I own currently the Sbooster (5-6V) and a LPS of 5V for Qutest.
And I know that LPS1.2 is good, maybe better than these ones but in Europe is quite expensive and hard to find. If Uptone solves this problem I might buy one. But anyway the LPS 1.2 needs a DC input so another LPS to power it if you want maximum quality. So LPS => LPS => ISO Regen...
 
Last edited:
May 10, 2019 at 4:03 PM Post #122 of 130
The cable between Sbooster and ISO Regen is isolated and seems decent.

What do you mean isolated? Is it just the cable that came with the sbooster? At a minimum you just want to use something with unshielded quadrapole wiring like canare 4s6.

But anyway the LPS 1.2 needs a DC input so another LPS to power it if you want maximum quality. So LPS => LPS => ISO Regen...
I use the provided uptone ground shunted smps with my ultracaps. https://uptoneaudio.com/products/uptone-branded-7-5v-4-8a-36w-smps-with-internal-ground-shunt
 
May 10, 2019 at 4:12 PM Post #123 of 130
What do you mean isolated? Is it just the cable that came with the sbooster? At a minimum you just want to use something with unshielded quadrapole wiring like canare 4s6.

Yep, this one:

ISORegen.jpg



I read about better results when powering the LPS1.2 with a dedicated linear power supply. Hard to say if they are true or not but I do not like the idea of an LPS for an LPS.
 
May 10, 2019 at 4:51 PM Post #124 of 130
I read about better results when powering the LPS1.2 with a dedicated linear power supply. Hard to say if they are true or not but I do not like the idea of an LPS for an LPS.
It shouldnt effect the ultracap at all. It could effect the audio system if using unbalanced interconnects(radiation from leakage currents generated by the smps) or if you're not using any ac conditioning, though the latter is true for linear power supplies as well, i.e. hamronic backwash, low frequency for lps, high frequency for smps, and is usually minimal and taken care of by decent ac power cables. I have my dac and amp on a topaz isolator and use balanced ics, 0 negative effects from the smps(which is not plugged into the topaz) powering the ultracap

As for a lps powering a lps, its no big deal, essentially no different than a smps powering a lps, the ultracaps are dc to dc power supplies after all, designed for galvanic isolation from the ac mains, blocking all leakage currents(you currently have a leakage loop between the dac and iso regens power supply), ultra regulated, ultra low output impedance, and lightning fast.
 
May 10, 2019 at 4:55 PM Post #125 of 130
I read about better results when powering the LPS1.2 with a dedicated linear power supply. Hard to say if they are true or not but I do not like the idea of an LPS for an LPS.

The quality of the DC used to charge our UltraCaps does not make ANY difference to their DC output!

[With the sole caveat that the charger does not input any high-source-impedance AC leakage as that particular form can pass through due to our use of transistors instead of relays as the bank alternating switches--the six transistors have among them a tiny total off-state capacitance of 36pF, but that is enough to pass high-source-impedance leakage. Ground-shunting the charger supply's output -VE to AC ground--as the included UpTone-branded 36W SMPS charger does--eliminates that form of leakage so it never enters our unit. Normal low-source-impedance leakage is 100% blocked by the UltraCap unit itself.]

The entire point of our sophisticated, never-connected, bank-alternating UltraCap design--aside from producing ultra-low-noise and ultra-low output impedance--is to make the AC-side connection not matter. The UltraCap units are very battery-like (only better from an output perspective) in this regard. Does anyone here think they get better sound from their smartphones if they charged its battery with a linear PS before leaving the house? It's about the same with our UltraCap units.
Don't believe everything you read from others about this. I chuckle to myself when someone tells me that the AC cord to the charger makes a difference. It can't--unless it is not a grounded cord, in which case it would cause some stuff to pass through.

I respect subjective listening tests (been doing them A/B/A/B for 40 years), but sometimes I think some people use their imagination more than their ears. Our products are about real things that make people go "wow." If one has to strain to hear--or think they hear--a difference, then that's too subtle for me to want to bother with. :k701smile:

Now if people want to do something truly worthwhile for their UltraCap supply, get a DC cable (for its output side) with star-quad topology and really good dielectric insulation--and keep it short. Star-quad lowers inductance--and that's a real benefit for an ultra-low output impedance, wide-bandwidth LPS such as the UpTone UltraCap LPS-1.2. That's something which you should hear. I know I do!
 
Last edited:
May 10, 2019 at 5:15 PM Post #126 of 130
taken care of by decent ac power cables

Don't believe everything you read from others about this. I chuckle to myself when someone tells me that the AC cord to the charger makes a difference. It can't--unless it is not a grounded cord, in which case it would cause some stuff to pass through.

Just to clarify I was talking about the ac cables for dacs/amps doing some filtering not for the charging smps or lps xD
 
May 10, 2019 at 5:21 PM Post #128 of 130
May 11, 2019 at 1:43 AM Post #129 of 130
I respect subjective listening tests (been doing them A/B/A/B for 40 years), but sometimes I think some people use their imagination more than their ears. Our products are about real things that make people go "wow." If one has to strain to hear--or think they hear--a difference, then that's too subtle for me to want to bother with. :k701smile:

Yes you're right. Sometimes I have mixed feeling about some things which normally should not interfere on paper or have no logic from the electricity point of view but still for me sound different. It might be Placebo or the brain messing with me. In conclusion, everyone here and not only here recommends the Ultracap as the best solution for powering ISO Regen for the best results. And a personal conclusion was that for me, ISO Regen > nano iUSB3.0.
 
Apr 3, 2020 at 7:39 PM Post #130 of 130
I own two ISO regens each powered by the LPs-1.2's. I have one in my headphone system and one in my speaker system. I enjoy them so much I would never consider removing either, they make that much of a difference. Even with my very complicated streamer to ddc setup, when inserted into the chain, the iso regen still removes a veil from the sound, allowing background details to be more easily heard. Many times I have heard sounds in well known tracks that I never knew were there before. I highly recommend the iso regen and matching lps1.2 to any DAC setup. Alex has been absolutely amazing to deal with and their customer service is second to none. Also, I highly recommend trying their new etherregen switch if you use a streamer in your setup.
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top