[BernieK]

  Hi again Bernie and any other interested parties - just received this initial report from a second local tester
Although  this tester slightly favours the Curious cable, I am happy to post all findings, regardless of whether they are  good, bad or indifferent..... because
 

 
 
 

Hi Michael,
 
Many thanks for posting the comments. Will there be more?
 
Did the tester use the Konvertible Lite with and without it's 5V wire disconnected when comparing to the Curious? I ask because my Luxman DA-06 appears to need the handshake to see the source.
 
Cheers,
 
Bernie

 

[zilch0md]

   
Do you know the sale totals for those USB wires you mentioned?
Thanks, 

 
No.   ???
 

  as with the Curious USB Cable - but the Curious Cable does not distance the +5V wire from the data wires - it only does so with the GND wire.
 
The Curious cable is actually the reverse of the above statement - the 5V wire is distanced from the Data wires ( as a thin coaxial wire wrapped 

 
Thank you, Michael - I'll fix that in my previous post (above).  I went back and found this post at CA which confirms your statement:
 
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f27-uptone-audio-sponsored/uptone-audio-regen-22803/index126.html#post483757
 
Mike

 

[Michael P]

Hi Bernie - as the poster mentions that he will continue listening for another couple of weeks,  there may be an update
And still to hear from my Adelaide customer........
Re: 5V lead - only mentions that he used the K lite with the 5V unplugged
Michael

 

[dmbr]

Thanks for the thorough reply.

I'm still not sure why stacking the Regen with the iPurifier2 wouldn't work, though. They do different things...except for reclocking, I don't see how they'd conflict.

I'll do some more listening comparisons of Regen + iPurifer2 vs Regen-only, and return with some impressions.

 

[Michael P]

Here is the link to a new post on Stereonet from a local Adelaide customer
http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php/topic/99061-new-konvertible-lite-usb-cables/
 
Michael

 

[Cornan]

Here is the link to a new post on Stereonet from a local Adelaide customer
http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php/topic/99061-new-konvertible-lite-usb-cables/

Michael

Nice review! His findings goes in pair with my own conclutions of the K-Lite.

 

[BernieK]

  Here is the link to a new post on Stereonet from a local Adelaide customer
http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php/topic/99061-new-konvertible-lite-usb-cables/
 
Michael

 
Hi Michael,
 
Thanks for the link. Interesting review.
 
Cheers,
 
Bernie

 

[hifimanrookie]

anyone tried this cable yet with the regen?
 
http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-gemini/

 

[zilch0md]

Thanks for the thorough reply.

I'm still not sure why stacking the Regen with the iPurifier2 wouldn't work, though. They do different things...except for reclocking, I don't see how they'd conflict.

I'll do some more listening comparisons of Regen + iPurifer2 vs Regen-only, and return with some impressions.

 

 
Not a good idea.  Will ruin both the signal integrity and the impedance match and will likely sound bad.  Please do not put anything--except your DAC--after the REGEN.  
 
--Alex C.

 

[dmbr]

*after* the Regen, he said. I'm considering putting the iPurifier2 *before* the Regen

 

[dmbr]

anyone tried this cable yet with the regen?

http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-gemini/

Yes. Questions?

 

[zilch0md]

  anyone tried this cable yet with the regen?
 
http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-gemini/

 
I haven't, but I have a lot of respect for iFi's designs.  
 
They need to reconsider this section from the marketing spiel on that page, however:
 

 Most USB Cables use moulded plastic covered connections. Plastic cannot shield the high frequencies present in the USB Data link, so noise will radiate out.

 
They're saying that because most USB cables use plastic-bodied connectors, instead of their solid aluminium connectors, "noise will radiate out" from the plastic connectors.  This doesn't make any sense at all. Wouldn't we want noise that's already in the data wires to "radiate out?"  If plastic connectors can do that, then we should stick with those!  
 
 
In the same paragraph, we find some more nonsense:
 

The FINAL USB connectors provides impeccable end-to-end RF shielding, being machined entirely from solid aluminium.

 
End-to-end RF shielding is provided by solid aluminum connectors?  Really?  
 
So, now, not only do the aluminum connectors shield from incoming RF, where plastic connectors allow the noise to "radiate out," but by using aluminum instead of plastic, their cable "provides impeccable end-to-end RF shielding."   Wow.
 
The blurb goes on to contradict itself when discussing their use of RF chokes tuned to three different RF frequency ranges. I think they're onto something here, but why does their cable need this feature when their solid aluminum connectors "provide impeccable end-to-end RF shielding?"
 
The engineers at iFi must be face-palming when they read what their marketers write - if they're even asked to review it before publication.
 
In short, I hate running into marketing nonsense when I'm trying to understand whether a product actually offers something its competitors lack.

 

[zilch0md]

*after* the Regen, he said. I'm considering putting the iPurifier2 *before* the Regen

 
 
Oh...  Go for it!  
 
I say, try anything and everything with or without the USB Regen, allowing your ears to tell you which is best for your system and your tastes, but understand that the USB Regen's greatest benefit happens inside the DAC's receiver (its USB 2.0 PHY chip) - reducing PHY noise that the DAC's receiver itself would generate when the signal integrity isn't as good as when the USB Regen is allowed to do its thing - with as little as possible between the USB Regen and the DAC.
 
http://uptoneaudio.com/pages/j-swenson-tech-corner

 

[Superdad]

  The engineers at iFi must be face-palming when they read what their marketers write - if they're even asked to review it before publication.
 
In short, I hate running into marketing nonsense when I'm trying to understand whether a product actually offers something its competitors lack.

 
That's funny Mike, and possibly true since their comparison page still shows their "DC iPurifier" as having a USB 2.0 hub chip--but that device for the DC power cable does not do USB at all! (Of course they mean their iPurifier 2, but they crank all this stuff out so fast that such errors have been common for their marketing.)
Yet my hat is off to their marketing and graphics department as they are able to spin a LOT  of "advanced-tech" benefits out of the basic functioning of a decently clocked USB hub chip.
I think these two are my favorites:
  

All of those "wonderful" things are done by the REGEN as well--just a byproduct of hub chip, low-jitter clock, careful power network and board design, and ultra-low-noise voltage regulators.  No "military radar technology" required. 

  
As for the use of USB3.0 hub chips, those noisy things are the last thing we would want active when handling USB2.0 audio speeds.  Anyone here have a need for 5Gbps transmission of audio? The 480Mbps of USB2.0 is still vastly faster than even the highest bit rate DSD or PCM audio data.
 
Sorry to be catty.  This is not my usual style at all.  But this is the USB REGEN thread so I figure I can at least highlight similarities and differences between products.  I certainly can't out-marketeer anyone.  I'd rather just be honest about how our popular device works--pure and simple...
 

 

[dmbr]

That's funny Mike, and possibly true since their comparison page still shows their "DC iPurifier" as having a USB 2.0 hub chip--but that device for the DC power cable does not do USB at all! (Of course they mean their iPurifier 2, but they crank all this stuff out so fast that such errors have been common for their marketing.)
Yet my hat is off to their marketing and graphics department as they are able to spin a LOT  of "advanced-tech" benefits out of the basic functioning of a decently clocked USB hub chip.
I think these two are my favorites:

  



All of those "wonderful" things are done by the REGEN as well--just a byproduct of hub chip, low-jitter clock, careful power network and board design, and ultra-low-noise voltage regulators.  No "military radar technology" required.    
As for the use of USB3.0 hub chips, those noisy things are the last thing we would want active when handling USB2.0 audio speeds.  Anyone here have a need for 5Gbps transmission of audio? The 480Mbps of USB2.0 is still vastly faster than even the highest bit rate DSD or PCM audio data.

Sorry to be catty.  This is not my usual style at all.  But this is the USB REGEN thread so I figure I can at least highlight similarities and differences between products.  I certainly can't out-marketeer anyone.  I'd rather just be honest about how our popular device works--pure and simple...

So what does the iPurifier2 indeed do that the Regen doesn't and vice versa, exactly?