USB Regen and Salk Stream Player?

Ern Dog · « **on:** 30 Sep 2015, 06:03 am »

Has anybody tried a USB Regen http://uptoneaudio.com/products/usb-regen with the Salk Stream Player? I'd be curious to hear how that sounds.

audiocrazy · « **Reply #1 on:** 30 Sep 2015, 09:09 pm »

Interesting product. I was looking at TotalDAC usb cable earlier this year but could not swallow the cost
http://www.totaldac.com/USB_cable-eng.htm

Ern Dog · « **Reply #2 on:** 1 Oct 2015, 12:52 am »

In an email message today Alex, from Uptone, told me there are Regen owners happily using them with Salk stream players, so I'm just trying to flush them out to hear about their experience.

I may just appoint myself as a Guinea pig and do my own research. At $175 and a 30-day money back guarantee, it's hard to go wrong.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #3 on:** 1 Oct 2015, 01:43 am »

Quote from: audiocrazy on 30 Sep 2015, 09:09 pm

Interesting product. I was looking at TotalDAC usb cable earlier this year but could not swallow the cost
http://www.totaldac.com/USB_cable-eng.htm

It is an excellent cable.

Kwebb · « **Reply #4 on:** 1 Oct 2015, 02:29 am »

Ern dog,

Thank you, very interested in your findings.

Kyle

aldcoll · « **Reply #5 on:** 1 Oct 2015, 02:38 am »

Quote from: Ern Dog on 1 Oct 2015, 12:52 am

I may just appoint myself as a Guinea pig and do my own research. At $175 and a 30-day money back guarantee, it's hard to go wrong.

If you would be so kind as to report on the sonic values of your new listening room compared to the vast mountion lodge of my past experience I would appreciate that info and update also Ern

sfox7076 · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 Oct 2015, 03:03 am »

Regen, IMHO is more to do with your Dac than your source... Didn't help me with mine.

Ern Dog · « **Reply #7 on:** 1 Oct 2015, 03:14 am »

Quote from: aldcoll on 1 Oct 2015, 02:38 am

If you would be so kind as to report on the sonic values of your new listening room compared to the vast mountion lodge of my past experience I would appreciate that info and update also Ern

Hey buddy! Check your PM.

Ern Dog · « **Reply #8 on:** 1 Oct 2015, 03:16 am »

Quote from: sfox7076 on 1 Oct 2015, 03:03 am

Regen, IMHO is more to do with your Dac than your source... Didn't help me with mine.

Can you share more info about the components you were using together with the Regen?

sfox7076 · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 Oct 2015, 05:06 am »

LampizatOr big 7 and Golden gate, Dana USB cable, Mac Mini with uptone's filter/power supply replacement installed, DIY LPS for the mini, Concert Fidelity preamp, 1625 based tube amps and Exotica 3s.

Ern Dog · « **Reply #10 on:** 1 Oct 2015, 05:14 am »

Quote from: sfox7076 on 1 Oct 2015, 05:06 am

LampizatOr big 7 and Golden gate, Dana USB cable, Mac Mini with uptone's filter/power supply replacement installed, DIY LPS for the mini, Concert Fidelity preamp, 1625 based tube amps and Exotica 3s.

Wow! That's a killer system you have put together! I want your dac and speakers

You must be in heaven when listening to music.

laulau · « **Reply #11 on:** 1 Oct 2015, 09:02 pm »

Lots of discussion re: Regen and Jitterbug going on at WBF.

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?18580-Science-Thread-Review-of-Audioquest-Jitterbug-and-Uptone-Regen-USB-Conditioners

Ern Dog · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 Oct 2015, 03:22 am »

I've got a line on a new Regen to test drive with my Salk Stream Player and my dac is a modded MHDT Stockholm. I use a Teddy Pardo power supply for the Salk. This source combo already sounds breath taking. Uptone is shipping the next batch of Regens very soon. I'm excited to hear how it will sound. More to come on this....

Ern Dog · « **Reply #13 on:** 22 Oct 2015, 03:31 pm »

The Regen will arrive tomorrow so I'll have some initial thoughts about it this weekend.

gregfisk · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 Oct 2015, 08:48 pm »

Quote from: sfox7076 on 1 Oct 2015, 05:06 am

LampizatOr big 7 and Golden gate, Dana USB cable, Mac Mini with uptone's filter/power supply replacement installed, DIY LPS for the mini, Concert Fidelity preamp, 1625 based tube amps and Exotica 3s.

SFOX7076, could you give me your impressions of the Mac Mini Uptone power supply? I purchased this but have not gotten around to installing it yet. I also own the Regen and feel like it does make an improvement in my system. I tried the new board one night and I need to try it again as I thought the system sounded worse and sort of hollow if that makes any since? This was not a long listening session and I only put it in for a few minutes then took it out.

Thanks for your input,

Greg

sfox7076 · « **Reply #15 on:** 24 Oct 2015, 01:23 am »

I like the filter, but all it does is let it accept the DC directly and something to the fan. There is less noise than there was with the standard power supply. I don't have an uptone power supply. Mine is home brewed.

gregfisk · « **Reply #16 on:** 24 Oct 2015, 01:31 am »

Quote from: sfox7076 on 24 Oct 2015, 01:23 am

I like the filter, but all it does is let it accept the DC directly and something to the fan. There is less noise than there was with the standard power supply. I don't have an uptone power supply. Mine is home brewed.

Thanks for that, I read you were using your own ps, glad to here about less noise,that's what I was hopeing for. I'm using a different ps also so I'll see how it goes.

Thanks again

Ern Dog · « **Reply #17 on:** 25 Oct 2015, 11:11 pm »

The first thing that struck me about the Regen is that it is really small. It measures only 1-3/4 X 2". It's just a little bigger than a silver dollar, which surprised me. Who cares about the size, how does it sound?

After about 12 hours of running it in I switched out the stock power cord to an Audience Powerchord and everything improved. This is a no brainer for any component. Here is what struck more most about the Regen:

Bass- The bass goes deeper and has great definition. I had to lower down the volume on my dual subs because it was too much. I'm a huge bass fan, so this improvement was very welcomed. Music has a better foundation.

Weight- There is more weight to the whole presentation, which I really like. It adds to the perception of a realistic musical image.

Mids- Silky smooth and gorgeous.

Highs- Music no longer has a digital edge, but I miss some air and detail in the highs. It sounds a tad muted and rounded. I'm missing the sharp edges in electric guitar licks and the sizzle in cymbals. The sizzle isn't gone, just muted some. There are so many cd's that I have that are over-produced sounding too hot on the top that sound horrible in my rig, but now sound enjoyable. This is a huge plus for me and opens up more music for me to enjoy.

Soundstage: Everything sounds more expanded and the soundstage grew a couple feet. Music sounds more 3D and textured. More depth to the music.

Noise: The noise floor was lowered quite a bit. I know because I can now listen at louder volumes without any harshness. As a result I'm listening to music at louder volumes now. It also allows me to hear more into the music. I really like this because the music sounds more expansive now.

Afterthoughts: Overall, I'm very happy with the make-over that the Regen did to my source: Salk Stream Player and MHDT Stockholm V2 dac. Bottom line is that it makes the music sound more natural and enjoyable. After reading all the threads about the Regen on the Computer Audio forum, they revealed that there are lots more improvements that can be done. I'm sure many people would be happy leaving it as is since the improvements are easily heard. But I'd like to improve the highs and I think I can get that by upgrading the stock usb adapter with a nicer one, then maybe upgrading the stock power supply. And so it goes, down the rabbit hole, tweaking the tweak.

Ern Dog · « **Reply #18 on:** 26 Oct 2015, 01:23 am »

I decided to go with a Curious USB Link: http://www.curiouscables.com/buy.html (scroll to the end) to replace the stock one.

I chose this USB cable because Jim Smith liked this better than his Light Speed Harmonics USB cable to go with the Regen. I figured it is a safe gamble for $120 and money back guarentee. I just ordered it so, I'll post more about it after it arrives.

Ern Dog · « **Reply #19 on:** 2 Nov 2015, 03:10 am »

1 week update: something shifted and I no longer hear "muted" highs. All the air and sizzle in the highs are back! Not sure if that's because the Regen broke in or my brain adjusted to the new sound, not sure and don't care. There's no downside now. For the first time, I removed the Regen yesterday and that lasted about 2 songs before I had to put it back in. There is no going back once you hear the new sound.

The Curious Regen Link should be arriving in a couple days. So more to come on that. Rob at Curious cable said aside from the length, the Regen link is the same as his other USB cables. He also said he would send me on loan a .8 meter Curious USB cable to replace my Black Cat Silverstarlight USB cable I'm using now as the Regen input cable.