[rb2013]

@dmbr

I'm a big fan of the Regen and all, but I can't help but think: wow, this guy has spent Summit-Fi level money on his setup and is still using a mid-fi+ amp/dac.

The Asus is good, but you can get much better with what you've spent trying to fix the USB signal going into it (plus the cost of the Essence).

USB purifiers and the like do less than a great amp and dac would.

I think for the same money as the Asus a Schiit Gumby + Lyr2 would be a huge advance.  Not summit by any std  - but at least above the treeline.

 

[hifimanrookie]

Anyone knows when the new regen comes with the improved powersupply? Am waiting for that version

 

[Superdad]

Anyone knows when the new regen comes with the improved powersupply? Am waiting for that version

 
 
There really is no reason to wait as our radical new mystery supply will be sold both as a separate product and as an add-on to a REGEN kit.  Below is a repost of an update I made in the thread about the new LPS, detailing how it will be sold.  The SMPS that presently comes with the REGEN will become the "energizing" supply for the new DC>DC supply (but it is NOT a battery supply!).
 
Alright, guess it is time for an official update on the mystery piece:
 
John and I recently made some heavy technical decisions on the development of our new supply (the whole thing really is a mind-blower and even has an FPGA in it) so that the "brains" of it can be used and scaled in multiple ways--for both licensing to other manufacturers, DIY, and vastly higher amperage versions (such high-amperage versions would not be for at least another year and the first of such will likely be a good bit more expensive than a JS-2--so don't stop ordering JS-2s!).  So the release of the affordable, 1A, 5/7V version--for REGEN and other uses--has been delayed until very early 2016. 
Given the nature of what we are attempting, it is better to do it right than to do it fast. Still, John is working furiously (but happily) on it many hours per week. It is just that PCB turn-around time, coding, testing, etc. all make the weeks roll by.

With regards the selling plan: The new supply (think I even posted a picture of the case upthread somewhere) will initially be sold 3 ways (but the unit itself is always exactly the same): 

1) As a complete and usable by anyone product--needing a selectable 5V/1A, 7V/1A--kit with a 12V/1.5A SMPS "energizing" unit;

2) As an add-on for people who already have a REGEN and will use the 7.5V/2.93A SMPS that came with the REGEN to "energize" the new supply (Or for those who have some other suitable LPS or SMPS they wish to feed it--12V/1.5A, 9V/2A, or 7.5V/2.5A min.; remember, the "energizing" supply will have ZERO effect on the final output, but if the rest of your system does not like SMPS harmonics injecting into the mains then an LPS could be chosen--LPSs, unless choke-filtered, also kick crap back into the wall--just at much lower frequencies.)

3) As a bundle with a REGEN, in which case the powering SMPS is likely to be an easier to source and perhaps slightly small 12V/1.5A unit.

Variations "2)" and "3)" will offer a modest savings since one less SMPS need be shipped.

And all versions will come with a 70cm, 16awg coax with 5.5mm x 2.1mm plugs at both ends. This is a custom cable I had 1,000 units made of--and with a right-angle plug at one end per some requests. Here is a pic:


Hope that helps a bit.  Oh, and here is a pic of a REGEN sitting on top of the enclosure that the mystery LPS will come in: 
(note that the front/back panels have not been machine or silkscreened yet, this is just a sample box from my Japanese enclosure supplier)
 


Best,
--Alex C.
UpTone Audio LLC

 

[Chikolad]

Exciting!

 

[mscott58]

Alex - Any estimate on a price range for this thing? The Regen is such a good deal, hope the power-thingy (sorry for the technical talk) continues this tradition. Cheers

 

[Superdad]

  Alex - Any estimate on a price range for this thing? The Regen is such a good deal, hope the power-thingy (sorry for the technical talk) continues this tradition. Cheers

Really can't estimate price until the build cost is nailed down.  When one is trying to make an affordable product with a lot of parts it is best not to try to guess.  It is one thing if designing a product selling for thousands to absorb slight pricing errors, but a few dollars cost in either direction can make a difference when trying to price in the thin margin territory.

 

[mscott58]

 
Really can't estimate price until the build cost is nailed down.  When one is trying to make an affordable product with a lot of parts it is best not to try to guess.  It is one thing if designing a product selling for thousands to absorb slight pricing errors, but a few dollars cost in either direction can make a difference when trying to price in the thin margin territory.

Totally understand. Have been in product development myself, so felt a bit guilty even asking. 
 
Keep up the good work.

 

[rb2013]

   
 
There really is no reason to wait as our radical new mystery supply will be sold both as a separate product and as an add-on to a REGEN kit.  Below is a repost of an update I made in the thread about the new LPS, detailing how it will be sold.  The SMPS that presently comes with the REGEN will become the "energizing" supply for the new DC>DC supply (but it is NOT a battery supply!).
 
Alright, guess it is time for an official update on the mystery piece:
 
John and I recently made some heavy technical decisions on the development of our new supply (the whole thing really is a mind-blower and even has an FPGA in it) so that the "brains" of it can be used and scaled in multiple ways--for both licensing to other manufacturers, DIY, and vastly higher amperage versions (such high-amperage versions would not be for at least another year and the first of such will likely be a good bit more expensive than a JS-2--so don't stop ordering JS-2s!).  So the release of the affordable, 1A, 5/7V version--for REGEN and other uses--has been delayed until very early 2016. 
Given the nature of what we are attempting, it is better to do it right than to do it fast. Still, John is working furiously (but happily) on it many hours per week. It is just that PCB turn-around time, coding, testing, etc. all make the weeks roll by.

With regards the selling plan: The new supply (think I even posted a picture of the case upthread somewhere) will initially be sold 3 ways (but the unit itself is always exactly the same): 

1) As a complete and usable by anyone product--needing a selectable 5V/1A, 7V/1A--kit with a 12V/1.5A SMPS "energizing" unit;

2) As an add-on for people who already have a REGEN and will use the 7.5V/2.93A SMPS that came with the REGEN to "energize" the new supply (Or for those who have some other suitable LPS or SMPS they wish to feed it--12V/1.5A, 9V/2A, or 7.5V/2.5A min.; remember, the "energizing" supply will have ZERO effect on the final output, but if the rest of your system does not like SMPS harmonics injecting into the mains then an LPS could be chosen--LPSs, unless choke-filtered, also kick crap back into the wall--just at much lower frequencies.)

3) As a bundle with a REGEN, in which case the powering SMPS is likely to be an easier to source and perhaps slightly small 12V/1.5A unit.

Variations "2)" and "3)" will offer a modest savings since one less SMPS need be shipped.

And all versions will come with a 70cm, 16awg coax with 5.5mm x 2.1mm plugs at both ends. This is a custom cable I had 1,000 units made of--and with a right-angle plug at one end per some requests. Here is a pic:


Hope that helps a bit.  Oh, and here is a pic of a REGEN sitting on top of the enclosure that the mystery LPS will come in: 
(note that the front/back panels have not been machine or silkscreened yet, this is just a sample box from my Japanese enclosure supplier)
 


Best,
--Alex C.
UpTone Audio LLC

Thanks for the update - very exciting!  You guys are certainly on the cutting edge.  I'm sensing the use of super or ultra capacitors by the term 'energizing'.
 
Audiobyte has a 5VDC version for their excellent Hydra Z - from what I hear it's pretty amazing sounding - but not cheap.
 
Hydra ZPM: http://audiobyte.net/products/hydra-zpm

http://www.maxwell.com/images/documents/Ultracapacitors_Overview_Flyer_3000615-2EN.pdf

 

[mscott58]

  Thanks for the update - very exciting!  You guys are certainly on the cutting edge.  I'm sensing the use of super or ultra capacitors by the term 'energizing'.
 
Audiobyte has a 5VDC version for their excellent Hydra Z - from what I hear it's pretty amazing sounding - but not cheap.
 
Hydra ZPM: http://audiobyte.net/products/hydra-zpm

http://www.maxwell.com/images/documents/Ultracapacitors_Overview_Flyer_3000615-2EN.pdf

Seems like an educated guess! Vinnie uses the super/ultra capacitors in his latest device as well. 

 

[Angular Mo]

I tried this:

iFi Mercury USB cable > iFi iUSB > iFi Gemini Dual Headed Cable > iFi Purifier > Uptone USB Regen > Xonar Essence One amp/DAC > JRiver (DSPs: Sonarworks calibration VST, Relife VST, 7.1 channel up mixing) Jitterbug in adjacent USB port > Sennheiser HD 800's.

Power Source: iFi power source (forget name), "audiophile" power cable for DAC/amp, outlet has noise cleaner.

To my amazement, each part of the chain improves sound! USB Regen made a very noticeable improvement to separation in particular, the richness/body/clarity of the sounds were better, and it slightly reduced harshness.


My OCD feels satiated...

Oh wait they're updating iFi products? ****.

thank you for the suggestions

 

[rb2013]

  Seems like an educated guess! Vinnie uses the super/ultra capacitors in his latest device as well. 

Vinnie from? Do you have a link?

 

[rb2013]

So my 'new' Regen has a few days on it so I decided to give it a serious listen.
 
Did an extensive 4 hr listening session last night. In my big main system the Regen actually hurt the sound! It added some edginess, bleached out some of the tonal color and robbed some of the bass. So I tried w/o the jitterbug, still the same but slightly worse. Removed the Regen and kept the JB - WOW! I mean truly incredible!
And this is with the Regen being fed from the LPS TeraDak R-Core SB30W set to 7.5VDC - that worked so well in my office system.
 
With just the Audio Breeze DU-U8 (this is one killer good DDC) and the JB.  Listening to my review tracks like the whole Florence and the Machine 'Lungs' album - I heard things I have never heard before. Amazingly rich tone - and the best another octave of bass. The bass had an immediacy to it - perfect pitch - but just gut shaking depth. The focus and clarity of the sound stage was the best yet and the depth of sound field projection - jaw dropping. The 5ft tall Magger 1/6qr's never sounded better!
 
So I think the Regen is very system dependent - as it had a very positive effect in my other system. It does cast some doubts on their theories though.
 
Tonight I'll try and switch them - maybe it's a bad unit I just received?  In my office system I do have separate PS filters on my DAC and the DU-U8 and the TeraDak LPS feeding the Regen.  Could it be that the Regen needs to be on a separate filtered power line from the DAC?  I doubt that would account for the differing results.  More likely it's a synergy thing with the entire source chain.
 
Really scratching my head on this one - never had this happen before in 30yrs of high end audio.
 
PS- The closest I guess would be Cart/tonearm compliance mis-matching.  An early mistake I made beginning in Analog.

 

[mscott58]

 
Vinnie from? Do you have a link?

Sorry, Vinnie Rossi, formerly of Red Wine Audio, now at Vinnie Rossi Audio. His "LIO" system uses ultra capacitors (and a lot of them). Here's the link - http://vinnierossi.com/lio-technology/
 
Cheers 

 

[rb2013]

  Sorry, Vinnie Rossi, formerly of Red Wine Audio, now at Vinnie Rossi Audio. His "LIO" system uses ultra capacitors (and a lot of them). Here's the link - http://vinnierossi.com/lio-technology/
 
Cheers 

Oh yes - nice stuff - I like the modular concept.
 
Thanks

 

[mscott58]

 
Oh yes - nice stuff - I like the modular concept.
 
Thanks

With that bank of ultra-capacitors you could probably weld with it...