UpTone Audio Regen 'amber'
- Thread starter Blue58
- Start date
Hi Adam,
My friends and I had a gathering last night.
Linux CAS desktop with HQPlayer, Audacious and JRiver-Linux.
Adding the ReGen Amber to a MSB IV dac gave obvious sonic benefit in all aspects, particularly the soundstage and 3d image.
Only the accompanying switching mode psu was used and I am sure a linear psu shall give further improvement.
The Regen Amber's price being so reasonable, it's in fact a steal in the audiophile world!
This Lampi B7 guy, who has PC H97M-D3H with PPA OCXO Clock, PPA V4 USB, Paul Hynes 12v Mobo, 5v for 2 OCXOs, 5v for SSDs & RAM, Teradak ATX Linear for 20 pin only, Linear 5v to 1.3v Reg for Ram, Server 2012 R2 Ess on RamDisk - JPlay 6 - AO 1.26b, Lamp Big7, Classe CA2200, Quad ESL63s,
reported this "Got my Amber running last night on a chain starting with a PPA V4 USB card to PPA Red USB cable about 1.2 metres long feeding the Amber then to the supplied USB adapter direct into the Lampi Big7.
Running dual PC JPlay setup with both in Core mode with AO 1.3 on Server 2012 R2 and from the first track I was stunned at the improvement.
I really thought with all Linears and fully dedicated Audio PC setup the improvement might have been marginal but it definitely caught me by surprise.
I will not bore everyone with the usual superlatives but a stunning improvement in all the PCM and DSD I threw at it last night so looking forward to more listening pleasure this evening.
I am running it off the supplied SMPS and it sounds amazing so looking forward to sticking a feed off the Paul Hynes SR7 12v at the weekend to see if it improves any further.
Definitely in my top 2 bang for buck audio investments when compared to all the gear I have gone through in pursuit of PC based playback over the past 3 years. It certainly is a must have for anyone serious about PC Audio.
I will be very surprised if DAC manufacturers do not take this design and add it to their DAC USB inputs so I hope John & Alex have some IP or licensing cover on the circuit!
Cheers, Pearse."
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f...mber-inpressions-24783/index3.html#post439356
reported this "Got my Amber running last night on a chain starting with a PPA V4 USB card to PPA Red USB cable about 1.2 metres long feeding the Amber then to the supplied USB adapter direct into the Lampi Big7.
Running dual PC JPlay setup with both in Core mode with AO 1.3 on Server 2012 R2 and from the first track I was stunned at the improvement.
I really thought with all Linears and fully dedicated Audio PC setup the improvement might have been marginal but it definitely caught me by surprise.
I will not bore everyone with the usual superlatives but a stunning improvement in all the PCM and DSD I threw at it last night so looking forward to more listening pleasure this evening.
I am running it off the supplied SMPS and it sounds amazing so looking forward to sticking a feed off the Paul Hynes SR7 12v at the weekend to see if it improves any further.
Definitely in my top 2 bang for buck audio investments when compared to all the gear I have gone through in pursuit of PC based playback over the past 3 years. It certainly is a must have for anyone serious about PC Audio.
I will be very surprised if DAC manufacturers do not take this design and add it to their DAC USB inputs so I hope John & Alex have some IP or licensing cover on the circuit!
Cheers, Pearse."
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f...mber-inpressions-24783/index3.html#post439356
Hi Wisnon, sorry for not spotting your post sooner.
Yes, I have the Aries which sounds better than my Mac mini and now with the Sablon USB and Regen I'm quite happy BUT I am now detecting with more time and more current POP music played a trace of hardness. I'm hoping UpTones new power supply later in the year will remove this. I may try the new Ifi ipower if not too expensive.
Can't say I notice the hardness with classical.
Cheers
Just wanted to update with my further impressions of the Amber Regen and the addition of an iFi iPower to the mix.
The iPower has very low noise on its output and is said to improve the SQ. I have not found this to be the case in my setup. Could this be due to the VHaudio Flavour4 power cord on the MW supply or just the long DC supply cord from the iPower picking up 'crap' negating any low output noise from the unit? I await an LPS from eBay for further tests.
Many have described the large soundstage and increased clarity/definition including myself but after prolonged listening this is becoming annoying. As though ALL music is imbued with this presentation giving a sound similar to what I remember from esoteric or DCS gear. A sound I am not keen on. Going back to non Regen after a period of time brings back warmth, more body and a, yes an often used word these days, Cohesiveness.
An analogy would be Sunday Roast without the gravy that binds it all together.
I commented that classical benefits most from the Regen and I still say that's true whilst the music I prefer and listen to most of the time e.g.. modern pop, electronica, vocal Jazz are just that bit colder. Billie Holiday is wonderful for bringing out these traits with that vocal sound that at times can sound too edgy and horns wonderfully warm and full. Double bass that shouldn't sound dry, tight or even dynamic. As has been noted earlier in this thread some people do not like what the Regen brings to the SQ and I'm now leaning towards this view .
As always in my system with my ears.
cheers
Blue58
Quick update guys.
The iPower was IMO of no use to the Regen. Off it goes to eBay.
On the other hand the Chinese LPS that was recommended was firstly, of great quality for the price, and secondly it removed the hardness, whilst adding back some warmth by reducing that annoying, pervading 'increased ambience'. I can now say that I prefer the sound quality with the Regen AND LPS in place. This points towards even better things with UpTones promised 'thingy'.
I don't think I've ever had such a roller coaster ride with any other product and really don't want to go through that again.
Blue58 (in the last group)
The iPower was IMO of no use to the Regen. Off it goes to eBay.
On the other hand the Chinese LPS that was recommended was firstly, of great quality for the price, and secondly it removed the hardness, whilst adding back some warmth by reducing that annoying, pervading 'increased ambience'. I can now say that I prefer the sound quality with the Regen AND LPS in place. This points towards even better things with UpTones promised 'thingy'.
I don't think I've ever had such a roller coaster ride with any other product and really don't want to go through that again.
Blue58 (in the last group)
Michael @ Audiostream just published his comparison article for all the similar devices (this said the Regen does some things none of the others do) as well as some combinations of the various devices.
Thanks. A lot of folks have been waiting for this write up, so there can be some differentiation between these hot new USB enhancers.
It reflects what I've seen as feedback, especially at CA, that the JB + the Regen works wonders. Some of the more hardcore audiophiles are using 2 JBs + 1 Regen, not sure I've seen 2 JBs + 2 Regens.
I would love to see a comparisons between the JB + Regen USB configuration and the Server + HQ Player + Ethernet [+ optical] + NAA configuration because the latter was meant to resolve issues inherent to USB as well.
Agree, all of these comparisons are interesting. But to be honest those who post about using multiples of each product, especially the REGEN strike as the fringe.
A double Regen could be considered as a bit on the 'fringe' side as in fact, the manufacturer themselves hadn't really thought of using two that way: it's only when they released the Amber Regen with a very low $45 for existing Green Regen that some users found themselves with two, started experimenting and reporting on the improved SQ - it wasn't marketed this way.
As for 2 JBs, the manufacturer does recommend first trying a single one in series, and then perhaps trying a second one on an unused port in parallel (with nothing plugged in). So, it is marketed with that possibility.
This is why user feedback becomes very important. There are so many potential combinations and different ways of doing things in computer audiophilia.
As for HQ Player, it is itself for the very hardcore audiophile fringe as it arguably has some of the best SQ many have heard so far (BugHead also comes to mind but that's a niche even among the Fringe).
And among the users of HQ Player, an even smaller group of users are using it properly in its intended ways: that is to have HQ Player on the main computer, feeding a network-attached audio device running the network audio daemon. This is all connected by Ethernet until the NAA which can be connected to the DAC via USB or not.
Further than that some are getting great results with optical to bring the signal to the NAA.
This whole client-server config with HQ Player and NAA came about because of precisely the issues found in non-isolated USB when connecting the computer directly to the DAC.
Excellent post.
You are spot on concerning a number of topics.
And yes, fiber optic is being discussed at great length on various forums for it's isolating properties.
I am experimenting with LAN filters and isolators as well. I just got the Acoustic Revive one and will get more.
Remember this before committing to fiber optic: sure its propagation avoids interference, but the front and back ends are quite noisy. In most home situations, i.e. in runs less than many meters long, you lose fidelity in comparison with wires and their ancillary circuits.
Is this based on experience or theory?
I'm guessing theory, there are manufacturers who are implementing opto isolating solutions that are far less than a meter, built in specific components, not
just for audio but for enterprise solutions as well.
I implemented fiber optic for my two networked audio systems with great success with 1 meter runs of fiber optic cable for each system with the help
of a good friend who works for a major telecom, and whose very expertise is fiber optic.
The so called "noise" is a very, very easy fix. Too many solutions to note. The easiest and cheapest is iFi
s iPower 9V power supplies, which are quieter than batteries.
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