Uptone and Chord DAC

[MrTHX]

Hi,

 

Can I ask is anyone using the excellent Uptone regen with a Chord 2Qute DAC and a Mac Mini running Audiravana?

 

I'm looking to find out if this combination works? Have had issues with other 'in line' USB products that don't allow the Mini to see the DAC .... leaving me unable to select the DAC as my audio out preference.

 

Many thanks

 

Chris

[Pepsican]

I use a Chord Hugo DAC and a Regen. Works well. But be sure to turn on the DAC and Regen first and then the streamer. I've had issues with Volumio correctly reconnecting with the DAC once it's been turned off.

[ecwl]

Before you rush out and buy a Regen, keeping in mind that the 2Qute USB is galvanic isolated, it should be much less sensitive to USB source. However, the DAC and the rest of your stereo system would still be sensitive to power noise from the Mac Mini. If you have the opportunity, you should try to move the Mac Mini power plug further away from the stereo system and the Chord 2Qute, instead of having everything plugged into the same power bar or power conditioner. Running an extension cord from another further away power socket into the Mac Mini separate from the stereo and Chord DAC may be a significantly cheaper way to upgrade your system's sound and may give you a much more significant upgrade to the sound compared to any USB device. Just something worth trying.

[Pepsican]

Before you rush out and buy a Regen, keeping in mind that the 2Qute USB is galvanic isolated, it should be much less sensitive to USB source. However, the DAC and the rest of your stereo system would still be sensitive to power noise from the Mac Mini. If you have the opportunity, you should try to move the Mac Mini power plug further away from the stereo system and the Chord 2Qute, instead of having everything plugged into the same power bar or power conditioner. Running an extension cord from another further away power socket into the Mac Mini separate from the stereo and Chord DAC may be a significantly cheaper way to upgrade your system's sound and may give you a much more significant upgrade to the sound compared to any USB device. Just something worth trying.

 

The type of noise on the USB line will not be stopped by galvanic insulation. See Uptone Audio page for details.

[Superdad]

The type of noise on the USB line will not be stopped by galvanic insulation. See Uptone Audio page for details.

 

Not so much "noise" on the USB line (that's a bit of misconception). It is more that poor USB signal integrity (rise time, edge jitter, amplitude) and impedance match cause the USB input PHY of the DAC to work harder to decode the signal--and thus IT generates voltage spikes and ground plane noise INSIDE the DAC, which, despite any digital isolators (which are ALWAYS AFTER the PHY and USB processor) still manages to make its way around and affect the master clock--thus we hear a qualitative difference.

 

So the isolators do help (as long as the designer is competent and reclocks immediately afterwards as some of those isolators add a LOT of jitter themselves), but they by no means make a DAC immune to upstream variance. Let's put it this way, if you can hear any difference between USB cables feeding your DAC (or if computer PS or OS s/w tweaks make any difference), then your DAC will benefit from the improved signal integrity and impedance match provided by the REGEN (and other USB hub-chip-based products now in its category).

 

Hope that helps.

Best,

--Alex C.

[HumanMedia]

For me and my particular system (modded Squeezebox touch feeding a Chord 2Qute) the Regen always made the sound worse, and I have tried everything to get the combo sounding better.

 

The Regen does help the Chord Hugo and Chord EX though, just not the 2Qute. I know another 2Qute owner who found exactly the same and has also abandoned the Regen for this DAC.

[HumanMedia]

Another Chord 2Qute / Uptone tip is that the 2Qute has a fantastic synergy with the Uptone JS-2 power supply. They are a perfect match. In contrast, the Teddy Pardo power supply sounded anaemic with the 2Qute.

 

Another interesting phenomena is that the JS-2 powering both the Regen and the 2Qute together sounded worst of all. Powering the Regen on a separate supply to the 2Qute was noticeably better. Even the Regen with the stock Meanwell supply was better than both on the JS-2 together (!?). But having no Regen, and a short well specced USB cable was best of all, for me anyway. The best USB cable for my combo was the 75cm Chord Silverplus, which has a similar tonal profile to the Supra USB but is more refined. This bettered the Curious in my system.

[JohnSwenson]

When powering a source component (say a REGEN) and the 2Qute from the same supply you are bypassing the galvanic isolation in the DAC. This is probably what you are hearing.

 

When you tried the REGEN what was the source to the REGEN?

 

John S.

[HumanMedia]

When powering a source component (say a REGEN) and the 2Qute from the same supply you are bypassing the galvanic isolation in the DAC. This is probably what you are hearing.

 

When you tried the REGEN what was the source to the REGEN?

 

John S.

 

My source was Squeezebox Touch > Regen > Chord 2Qute

 

Tried many combinations of USB cables before and after the Regen, including different hard connectors and even the Curious cables, but any combination was a step down in quality from a single USB connection between source and DAC.

 

I just put it down to rare component incompatibility with the 2Qute, possibly with its galvanic isolation. Since the original poster is using a Mac Mini as a source the results may be completely different.

[MrTHX]

Thank you kindly guys for the responses

I do think the galvanic isolation is coming into play, currently having trouble with the new iFi Purifier2.... Plugging it in line and my Mac doesn't see the dac at all, giving me no option to select as my preferred sound output

[MrTHX]

I didn't want this to be the same case if I move to an Uptone Regen

[Pepsican]

Thank you kindly guys for the responses

I do think the galvanic isolation is coming into play, currently having trouble with the new iFi Purifier2.... Plugging it in line and my Mac doesn't see the dac at all, giving me no option to select as my preferred sound output

 

Probably due to incorrect boot order. Start DAC, then Regen, then MAC. Should be okay then.

[MrTHX]

Apologies never came back to this ..... Turned out to be a faulty unit!! Although dealer didn't tell me straight away but a couple of weeks later when I next called in. Currently trying an MM > Intona > supra cable > Upton Regen Amber > Curious > Chord 2Qute. I have to say the added focus and lower noise floor is an easy tell? Surprised as I didn't think the 'galvanically isolated' dac would show more improvements just by cleaning up the USB feed.

[wisnon]

No Dac in that price range is completely galvanically isolated. Complete isolationwould cost a fortune and likely need giant magneto resistives or some kind of opto-coupling, as even the music signal itself (the thing you want) can have noise riding piggyback on it!