Uptone Audio ISO REGEN

[Antoine]

Start selling your REGEN's and Intona's guys!   I mentioned it earlier elsewhere on this forum, Alex Crespi of Uptone Audio has spilled the beans, there's a new REGEN coming called the ISO REGEN. This will be an improved Regen with full USB galvanic isolation.

It'll be officially announced soon but the first details are released here: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f27-up...gen-31769/

It uses the first ever integrated USB isolator IC by Silanna which I mentioned elsewhere last year. Looks like a winner, great specs it uses top notch Crystek clocks and very low noise LT3042 LDO voltage regulators.

iFi has announced its competitor too, the iGalvanic 3.0. See: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f30-ab...dio-31885/ and: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f30-ab...ted-31727/

I think the Uptone will be better judging by what Alex Crespi wrote but there's still much speculation as both iFI and Uptone haven't released all details yet.

NB. Not sure yet if I want one myself, the Mutec MC3+ USB I use has galvanic isolation between it's USB input and downstream electronics. The ISO Regen offers full galvanic isolation between the USB in and USB out so before Mutec's USB input. The Intona in that spot didn't give me improvements back then, but a lot has changed and improved in my system since then so I should try it someday.

[Hifi_swlon]

Thanks for the tip. .

Not that the original Regen did anything for me personally, but I would like galvanic isolation in a smaller box than the Intona.
Will keep an eye out for both - don't think I'll get rid of the Intona just yet.

[octaviars]

Thanks for the tip. .

Not that the original Regen did anything for me personally, but I would like galvanic isolation in a smaller box than the Intona.
Will keep an eye out for both - don't think I'll get rid of the Intona just yet.

But will the new ISO Regen need a seperate PSU to power it or does it draw power from the USB?

[Hifi_swlon]

My guess is it will be sold under the guise of being best with the LPS-1

[Antoine]

It's mentioned in the thread I linked to. "Dirty" side is USB bus powered, the "clean" side needs external power, e.g. from a LPS-1. In my opinion this is a good thing, technically, as it provides optimal isolation. The Mutec operates in the same way. The current Regen also needs external power BTW but didn't need the USB bus power.

Edit: plus you'll have the full 500mA available for the device you connect on the 'clean' side. With the Intona (which is fully USB bus powered so doesn't need external power) about 350mA was available as it itself needs power too. This gives issues with devices that need the full, and official, 500mA.

[Antoine]

The ISO REGEN is launched, see: https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forum...hotos-etc/ and https://uptoneaudio.com/products/iso-regen

[Confused]

I note your comments in post #1 Antoine. Looking at the Iso Regen as something to add between a microRendu (or SOtM sMS-200) and a Mutec, I fail to see where and how the Iso Regen can offer any improvements. As you state, the Mutec's USB input has galvanic isolation. Am I missing something?

As a general comment, the Iso Regen + LPS-1 package is not that far of the cost of a Mutec MC3+USB, and I know which one I'd rather have for feeding a Devialet!

[sam1000]

I note your comments in post #1 Antoine.  Looking at the Iso Regen as something to add between a microRendu (or SOtM sMS-200) and a Mutec, I fail to see where and how the Iso Regen can offer any improvements.  As you state, the Mutec's USB input has galvanic isolation.  Am I missing something?

As a general comment, the Iso Regen + LPS-1 package is not that far of the cost of a Mutec MC3+USB, and I know which one I'd rather have for feeding a Devialet!

+1.

On the other hand, how many have used LPS-1 to power Mutec? Have you noticed improvements by using LPS-1 with Mutec? How easy/difficult is it to change the PS on Mutec. 

SMS-200 powered with LPS-1 sounds wonderful, so I'm thinking of getting one for Mutec. However,if it's not going make any difference, then I might skip it.

[Antoine]

I note your comments in post #1 Antoine. Looking at the Iso Regen as something to add between a microRendu (or SOtM sMS-200) and a Mutec, I fail to see where and how the Iso Regen can offer any improvements. As you state, the Mutec's USB input has galvanic isolation. Am I missing something?

As a general comment, the Iso Regen + LPS-1 package is not that far of the cost of a Mutec MC3+USB, and I know which one I'd rather have for feeding a Devialet!

Well like I wrote I'm not sure if I want one and at least I didn't order one today but I might still do that one day, not sure yet. First I'd like to buy/try the JCAT NET femto ethernet card and/or perhaps upgrade the SMS-200 to an SMS-200 Ultra. Adding an additional device in between the SMS-200 Ultra and the MC-3+ USB indeed feels counter intuitive. The ISO Regen is most suited for people who would connect a computer directly to the USB input of a DAC.

The reasons I -might- try one anyway is because of the full galvanic isolation it provides. The Mutec has galvanic isolation - after- the USB circuitry. The ISO Regen, like the Intona does it before. The ISO Regen regenerates the USB signal using a HQ clock and a low noise USB hub IC. It has TOTL voltage regulators. Also it comes with a "solid" USB 'A' to USB 'B" male-male adapter which is designed to preserve the USB audio signal integrity and impedance match into the DAC/Mutec. This will negate the need for a USB cable but it will also become available ($35) in the future. In short it may improve on the performance of the SMS-200 and (thus) feed the Mutec a higher quality USB signal. Is it worthwhile? Don't know, not until someone else tries it or better yet I hear for myself.

[Antoine]

+1.

On the other hand, how many have used LPS-1 to power Mutec? Have you noticed improvements by using LPS-1 with Mutec? How easy/difficult is it to change the PS on Mutec. 

SMS-200 powered with LPS-1 sounds wonderful, so I'm thinking of getting one for Mutec. However,if it's not going make any difference, then I might skip it.

It's off topic here but quite some time ago I've written in my system topic that I removed the SMPS power supply from my Mutec MC-3+ USB and power it using one of the outputs of my Hynes SR7EHD-MR4 PSU set to 6.2V.

Whether it's easy or not depends on someone's skills. It's certainly not easy for those who've never used a soldering tool and I think it's a tedious job for even the more experienced people. There's many forum topics on different forums (CA, Head-Fi, Tirna HiFi come to mind) that discuss this topic.