abramsmatch

Selling my Uptone Audio Regen Amber with box/attachments etc. A few months old. Essentially as new. Will sell for 165.00 plus 10.00 shipping anywhere in continental (that's the operative word) US. Avoid any wait time from Uptone. I can ship to you in a day or two. I can accept all major credit cards (there's an app for that:) as well as PayPal. Thanks for looking.

Understand- I definitely did not think it at all bright or forward as a converter! There it was the best I've ever heard in every regard! I am speaking strictly of the sound when used as a DAC- where I thought, relatively unbroken in and used with the cheaper wires, it might be a bit too 'forward' for my taste. But definitely not that way as a converter.

I've used the Yellowtec PUC 2 as both a converter and a DAC (briefly) and will say it did a better job as the former than the latter, though was no slouch at all as a DAC; detailed, punchy, great bass etc, but a touch too forward for my taste. Piano was a tad bit bright/pingy for example. However- I was only able to use less expensive XLR to RCA interconnects (my standard high-end ones are rca only), my regular dac is a NOS dac (thus a bit soft on top) and I'd say the unit had only 5 to 10 hours on it usage-wise. As I say, as a converter it was just as phenomenal as the Puc 2 Lite I've heard. I wish I got to break it in more and use it with more suitable interconnects rather than 20 dollar on amazon ones:( In any case, most places that sell it have a return policy -- use it! (if you have to;)

Well it seems the U9 power supply is spec'd for 9V DC and it is adjustable as well. So stock, it's 9V. That's why Alex told me it was fine to use I guess. From the website, "Teralink-X2 / X1 U9VA Linear Low noise Power Supply...this Version is add a 5V USB output ,and this power supply can use in other DC 9V audio product." Features of this power supply : 1.EMI AC filter. 2.EI Transformers. 3.CLC Low ripple DC filter. 4.MJE15030 , BC550 low noise linear voltage circuits 5.And high accuracy reference voltage output. 6.STTH8S06 fast diodes. 7.High quality Panasonic FM caps. 8.DC output : 0.25V -9 V adjust ( Default DC 9V 1A) 9.AC input :AC 115 or 230V 10.Aluminum body , size is W101 x D115 x H46 mm 11.Aluminum panel. 12.Includes DC cable for connect Teralink - X2 / X1 13.Weight :700g 1pc 14.High level of silent background and detailed sonic performance can be achieve Sadly, despite the "High level of silent background and detailed sonic performance can be achieve," I am still not achieving this as i had hoped with my REGEN:(

You know, I wonder if that's what the entire issue is/has been with the Regen for me? Only reason I tried it was Alex told me by email the U9 would be fine to use with the Regen and it seemed to take away the modicum of edginess the SMPS gave me. Wish I had another LPS to try... As for the Jitterbug, it's an interesting contest, pitting my Jitterbugged Chord Silver Plus USB against the wonderful Curious Audio USB cable I'm trying. The Curious is clearly more dimensional (yup-- thats pretty much the best word for it); more 3D than any other cable I've tried (Chord, Wireworld UV, Belkin etc.) but the Chord seems to gain from the JB in this specific regard. (Actually my first thought when placing the Curious in my system was something like 'cable non-believers oughtta compare their stock cable to this guy! Not saying all will prefer it-- but what the Curious does well was pretty much immediately obvious. Didn't need to double blind myself or anything:)) I've been going back and forth between the Chord with JB and Curious without it (as I'm not sure the Curious cable benefits as much/at all from the JB; gotta try again with the A/B. This may be a part of the reason some using the Curious cable may prefer the system without it). There are differences tonally in that I think the Chord plus JB is a bit sunnier and the Curious has a bit more gravitas and weight. Without the Jitterbugs, the Chord is even brighter tonally and maybe a bit flatter dimensionally. I could certainly see people preferring one cable plus or minus JB depending on the baseline tonality of their system. I sure wish I could get the Regen to play nice in that system but thus far with or without the Jitterbug preceding it, I don't prefer it in the system. Perhaps it's this power supply issue you mention. I may have to put the SMPS back in now that there's more time on the Regen.

What's this!? Jim Smith doesn't like his Jitterbug? Nobody informed me-- I swear! I take it back! I'm sorry! The Jitterbug is bad I tell ya-- baaaaad (one never wants to be on the wrong side of Get Better Sound- that is for sure)

It is the Teradak U9 LPS. I think it may be 5v? In any case, it can power a split usb cable or the REGEN. Works well for both. I was thinking one reason for such varied reported benefits of the Jitterbug or REGEN might be that many people are running USB directly into their DAC without benefit of a USB/SPDIF converter. I realize that the JB and REGEN might offer benefits regardless of whether a converter is present-- but most of us would agree that many DACS alone fall short of say, a Berkley Alpha USB converter, when sent signal directly via USB out from a stock standard computer. Thus, if I am say, a guy with a DAC whose manufacturer really took time to optimize the USB input (built in high quality XMOS or what have you) -- or I'm a guy who uses an awesome USB converter-- perhaps I get on the forum and say 'hey this REGEN or JB doesn't really do much for me.' But many people who run USB from a mac mini or macbook etc. straight in to a DAC might say upon adding a REGEN or JB- 'wow- this thing is awesome!' Myself, I have a very good USB converter in my main rig and maybe that's why the REGEN didn't quite do it for me (yet). Just a theory among many...

I'll tell ya-- I've now tried the Regen (amber) in my system for a few days/a week and can't get past a slight hardening of timbre/tone-- even after the addition of an inexpensive Teradak LPS which certainly improved matters somewhat. (I'm aware perhaps more break in might be needed in the opinion of some). Sooooo I moved the REGEN from the main system to my headphone system (which utilizes a different USB/SPDiF converter-- the Melodious UX-8) and there it does indeed seem to 'clean things up' tonally etc. I'll put it back in the main system after a fashion I suppose, to see if it has 'broken in' a bit more. However-- an improvement on an order of magnitude I was expecting the REGEN to have in my system occurred when I placed two AQJB's in my main system last night--namely improved tonality/imaging/bass clarity etc. Strings were definitely more real sounding/rosiny etc and lost the 'glare' of the Mac mini. I listened for like an hour or to to the Leif Ove Andsnes Beethoven piano concertos via orastream Classics Online pretty impressed with the improvements. I imagine these would be subtle to a 'non-audiophile' maybe, but definitely readily apparent- and important- to me. So as for now-- the AQJB's remain in the main system and the REGEN is in the headphone system. Really interesting because based on my readings, I really really (really) thought the REGEN would do for me what the Jitterbugs are definitely doing:) So I guess-- score another one (one what? ) for the AQJB.

Tekton Design. That's what I'd go with-- say, the Lores or Lore S. Simply an outstandingly musical product that doesnt sound like 'hi fi.' Really easy to drive and very tonally 'balanced.' Plus-- 30 day return policy if ya hate em. Many years at this and that's where I'm settling. Okay-- for now:)

Okay great. So how do I share the music folder? Is it automatically shared with home sharing enabled? (It is now). Will the folder appear automatically in finder? Basically, with both computers turned on and sharing-- can you give me a step 1,2, 3 etc.... ? (If there are like a hundred steps forget it:) Thanks again! David

Hi Damien. I just bought a new 8GB mac mini-- mainly because of A+. My old macbook was doing the clicking thing and didn't have enough ram etc. Now there's another issue with both the beta version and the licensed (up to date) one I have. Namely-- I am using the home sharing feature of iTunes to share files between my old macbook and new mac mini. But, while iTunes will play music just fine-- (wow-- is A+ better!)-- No verio of A+ will recognize the files that are shared in the new mac's iTunes. A+ won't even START to play. I get unable to read errors etc. So--- before I go out and buy a hard drive to physically transfer all the files from macbook to mac mini--- I want to ask whether or not A+ should be recognizing the shared files. This will mean I won't have to buy a hard drive right now to physically transfer my library. Here's the debug info if that helps-- and thanks! (PS-- anyone who knows if A+ can work with a shared library can also feel free to help!) Audirvana Plus rev. 1.3.5 debug information: running on Mac OS X 10.7.4 User preferences: Remote control: IR: on, Media Keys: on (with volume control: on) Playlists: Use UTF-8 for all: on Start playback at launch with audio file: on Remember playlist: on Volume knob control in vertical direction Sample rate converter used: iZotope 64bit SRC Polarity inversion: global=off, per track=on Volume control: DAC only Max volume limit = 100.0% SysOptimizer enabled: Spotlight: on TimeMachine: on iDevices USB: on iTunes settings: Completely deactivate iTunes playback: on iTunes volume control: on iTunes play position control: on Audio settings: Use Max I/O buffersize: on Max Mem for audio buffers: 5760MB Max Sample rate limit: None Sample rate switching latency: None Active Sample Rate: 96.0kHz Hog Mode is off Devices found : 3 List of devices: Device #0: ID 0x22 Built-in Output Manufacturer:Apple Inc. Model UID:AppleHDA:33 UID:AppleHDAEngineOutput:1B,0,1,2:0 Device #1: ID 0x33 HDMI Manufacturer:Apple Inc. Model UID:AppleHDA:33 UID:AppleHDAEngineOutputDP:1B,3,1,2:0:{0C41-0000-01010101} Device #2: ID 0x37 Musical Fidelity V-Link Manufacturer:Musical Fidelity Model UID:Musical Fidelity V-Link:4D46:0001 UID:AppleUSBAudioEngine:Musical Fidelity:Musical Fidelity V-Link:fd120000:1 Preferred device: Musical Fidelity V-Link Model UID:Musical Fidelity V-Link:4D46:0001 UID:AppleUSBAudioEngine:Musical Fidelity:Musical Fidelity V-Link:fd120000:1 Selected device: ID 0x37 Musical Fidelity V-Link Manufacturer:Musical Fidelity Model UID:Musical Fidelity V-Link:4D46:0001 UID:AppleUSBAudioEngine:Musical Fidelity:Musical Fidelity V-Link:fd120000:1 5 available sample rates up to 96000.0Hz 32000.0 44100.0 48000.0 88200.0 96000.0 Audio buffer frame size : 29 to 9216 frames Current I/O buffer frame size : 512 Physical (analog) volume control: No Virtual (digital) volume control: No Preferred stereo channels L:1 R:2 DSD capability: Unhandled Simple stereo device: yes Channel mapping: L:Stream 0 channel 0 R:Stream 0 channel 1 1 output streams: Stream ID 0x38 2 channels starting at 1 5 virtual formats: Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32bits little endian Float @96.0kHz Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32bits little endian Float @88.2kHz Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32bits little endian Float @48.0kHz Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32bits little endian Float @44.1kHz Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32bits little endian Float @32.0kHz 5 physical formats Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24bits little endian Signed Integer @96.0kHz Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24bits little endian Signed Integer @88.2kHz Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24bits little endian Signed Integer @48.0kHz Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24bits little endian Signed Integer @44.1kHz Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24bits little endian Signed Integer @32.0kHz

The V-Link, while compatible with Integer mode as others have said, does not plug in via walwart supply. Rather-- it derives its power from the USB port of your computer. On older macbooks etc like mine, this extra power draw may be the problem! Integer mode is again working now into my Burson after I reset some things (clicked on and off the I/O max buffer etc. and voila-- no clicking again). I still cant get it to work into the v-link without a powered USB hub with integer mode. I think the above offers some explanation. But why does a powered hub solve things since it doesnt plug into the wall either-- it gets its power too from the USB hub! ? Anyone? Bueller??? Dunno. But I git click-free music again. David

When I DONT use integer mode! Yes that's correct. I possess both the Burson HA-160D Head amp/DAC and a CEntrance DACmini. I'm using a 13" Macbook with 10.6.8 I believe (black macbook) from about 2007 vintage. It's got 2GB of ram and even though they used to say you cant exceed that, computer modders know differently-- it will take up to 4GB but can apparently only 'see' up to 3 or 3.3 GB for usable RAM. In any case-- it's 2 GB at the moment. So here ya go-- I may be misremembering the exact problem sequence but: A+ into Burson direct with integer mode (hog etc) all engaged: clicking Same as above with powered hub: no clicking A+ into Burson WITHOUT integer mode: Used to not click-- now after using USB powered hub for a time and disconnecting and reconnecting-- I get clicking with the Burson DAC with or without integer mode! A+ into powered USB hub into V-Link II into Burson with or without integer mode: zero issues (well-- except for my computer overheating because of all the processing power required after extended play! I'll buy a cooling mat if need be). A+ into CEntrance DACmini (out of frustration) just now straight in via USB (no hub no V-link): In integer mode-- beautiful! Sounds glorious. Then I switched integer mode OFF to compare and stopped music (not pause-- stopped and changed settings). Now I get clicking! So I restarted A+ and tried it fresh into CEntrance WITHOUT integer mode-- Clicking! Frustrating and totally baffling. Granted, I didnt try pure music etc. so no clue if this is A+ issue, but I am now for some reason unable to use A+ with my Burson without the V-Link and a powered hub-- otherwise I get clicking every few secs no matter what mode I'm in! Weird--- Cause when I started all this experimentation, I was using just my Macbook into the Burson and got clicking with integer mode and no clicking without. Hence my purchase of the USB hub. So, went and got the powered USB hub and no more clicking with integer mode-- beautiful! Then I tried the V-link-- and that worked-- great too but needed a powered hub or it would click in integer mode-- but I needed the V-Link and wanted to try straight in to the Burson (re-did the output settings etc)-- no matter what mode I use there's clicking! Sigh. I wonder where I put my therapist's number... David

Went out and bought a USB hub and immediately-- no issue! A+ works perfectly in integer mode into the V-Link II without clicks or ticks or what have you. So I'm happy, right? Of course not. I'm an audiophile. And the reason for my residual unhappiness is my inability to comprehend why it could work perfectly in integer mode directly into my Burson DAC without any powered hub, but why, when I run through the better-sounding V-link II (an integer mode compatible device), it does the clicking and ticking thing until I add the powered hub? I dont get it. I mean no, it's not causing me significant psychological distress, but baffling to me. Both the Burson and the V-Link II are confirmed integer mode compatible, but one needs a powered hub and one doesnt. And FYI-- yeah-- maybe I'm dreaming but it seems the powered hub 'sharpens' things a bit sonically in a slightly negative way-- so I'd prefer to be able to go straight in to the V-Link just as I can to the Burson. Ideas?? BTW-- I tried unplugging and re-plugging the USB cable while with the v-link as suggested-- no change. The other 'computery' suggestion with the code thing is beyond my meager comprehension tech-wise... I was an English major after all. David

But is it possible the musical fidelity v-link II doesn't do integer mode and the V-Link (which we know is compatible) does? The v-link II is an awesome upgrade-- loving it- but doesn't make sense why it has the clicking issue in integer mode with A+ and the original v-link was confirmed to work with integer mode and my Burson DAC works beautifully with it too without the v-link II. It just doesn't sound as good... By the way- if this is not the thread for such questions I apologize- is there a more suitable one or should I ask A+ support directly? I plan to purchase the license- but wanna make sure it works with all my gear first... David