UltraCap™ LPS-1 LISTENING IMPRESSIONS thread

[Superdad]

Yeah, that is why experimenting with the El Cheap-O in place of the Mean Well is very, very low on my 'to do' list.

 

Alex, sorry, please move my last two posts to the other thread.

 

No need Blake, I am not THAT anal about these threads (despite your earlier snark to the contrary--which I left in place ).

 

I want to thank both you and Danny (firedog) for posting about your initial experience with the LPS-1. Neither of you just fell off the audiophile turnip truck, so impressing you two means a lot!

 

Just glad you are both enjoying the supply in your systems and found it to be a worthwhile investment. Such is all that John and I can aim for.

 

Best,

--Alex C.

[ismarketing]

Hi Alex, are the orders slated for mid-November shipment on track? Thanks.

[Superdad]

Hi Alex, are the orders slated for mid-November shipment on track? Thanks.

 

Oh yes. We have been firmware flashing, testing, assembling, kitting, and packing like mad for the past two weeks. Today more than half of the 250 promised for shipment by the 18th are going out. Those folks will automatically receive a tracking number at 2:00 p.m. (PST) today.

 

We made it up to about order #4380 today. The rest will be shipped on time next week. And that will bring us up to order #4440.

 

A request to all:

PLEASE DO NOT E-MAIL ME ABOUT WHEN YOUR ORDER WILL SHIP. All orders will be shipped by or before the date that was promised on the web page at the time you ordered, and in the confirmation e-mail you received immediately after placing your order (assuming you entered your e-mail address correctly).

 

Thanks and regards,

 

--Alex C.

 

 

[nihilist]

Awesome can't wait to try!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

[austinpop]

We made it up to about order #4380 today. The rest will be shipped on time next week. And that will bring us up to order #4440.

Yikes! I am 4432. Talk about making it under the wire.

[Laowei Steve]

#4413 is coming up soon. [emoji106]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[willyhot]

Oh yes. We have been firmware flashing, testing, assembling, kitting, and packing like mad for the past two weeks. Today more than half of the 250 promised for shipment by the 18th are going out. Those folks will automatically receive a tracking number at 2:00 p.m. (PST) today.

 

We made it up to about order #4380 today. The rest will be shipped on time next week. And that will bring us up to order #4440.

 

A request to all:

PLEASE DO NOT E-MAIL ME ABOUT WHEN YOUR ORDER WILL SHIP. All orders will be shipped by or before the date that was promised on the web page at the time you ordered, and in the confirmation e-mail you received immediately after placing your order (assuming you entered your e-mail address correctly).

 

Thanks and regards,

 

--Alex C.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]30596[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]30597[/ATTACH]

 

Awesome news! Many thanks!

[firedog]

Back to listening impressions:

 

After several days, I can definitely hear the difference from a "blacker" background from my mRendu. Can hear more detail, and everything just sounds a little cleaner and more natural. I assume all of this is due to less noise reaching the mR.

 

Noise reduction is a very good thing in computer audio....

[asdf1000]

Back to listening impressions:

 

Noise reduction is a very good thing in computer audio....

 

Yep ! And you don't even know it's there (noise) until you peel away the layers of noise. The microRendu did that for me and now I'm waiting for my LPS-1 to peel away another layer ! Can't wait.

[Albrecht]

In other words , an improved dynamic range. I wonder if it also has something to do with instantaneous current capabilities, as the manufacturers of the higher quality electrolytic capacitors used in amplifier power supplies for energy storage specify "slew rate"

Hi

 

Not the def. of dynamic range. Dynamic range is the difference between loud & quiet parts. It is the function of the recording. Noise may contribute to a lack of perceived definition of instruments or in passages that are quiet. Or noise may annoy, but lowering the noise in a stereo playback system, does not increase dynamic range

 

Cheers

[sandyk]

Or noise may annoy, but lowering the noise in a stereo playback system, does not increase dynamic range

 

Of course not, but it gives the APPEARANCE of an improvement in dynamic range, especially when notes and voices appear to disappear into "blackness" or appear to last a little longer. You can often hear low level detail that you may previously have not noticed.

[sandyk]

Lowering of noise is perceived as increase in volume, even though actual volume is the same.

 

BTW, I was replying to the attached (above). I did not dispute that the actual volume was the same.

Can you really claim that a low level signal buried in the noise floor has the same effective dynamic range as the same low level signal clear of the noise floor, which would also apply if the proper amount of dither was applied, which can substantially increase the 96dB dynamic range of CD.

To quote Wikipaedia

"The 16-bit compact disc has a theoretical undithered dynamic range of about 96 dB,[20][a] however, the perceived dynamic range of 16-bit audio can be 120 dB or more with noise-shaped dither, taking advantage of the frequency response of the human ear.[

[Albrecht]

Of course not, but it gives the APPEARANCE of an improvement in dynamic range, especially when notes and voices appear to disappear into "blackness" or appear to last a little longer. You can often hear low level detail that you may previously have not noticed.

Exactly

Sorry if I was nitpicking

[DavidZ]

I got the DC-4 cable from Sonore for connecting the LPS1 with the Microrendu, and posted this on the Sonore forum:

 

 

I've had my Microrendu for a couple of months, the LPS1 for a couple of weeks, and the DC-4 cable for a couple of days. I'm happy to be the first to pipe up (I think) with my initial impressions of the new cable, and they are very positive. I'm a big believer in the power of a good power cord, so it wasn't surprising to me. Compared with the stock cable, the soundstage and instrumental imaging were more fully fleshed out and there was more musical nuance and detail. Not subtle at all -- apparent very quickly.

 

To take a step back, the combination of Roon (which I discovered as part of trying out the MRendu), the MRendu, the LPS1 and the DC-4 has really been a coming of age for computer audio, in my very HO. I have the marvelous Acoustic Plan DAC, and my friend recently brought over the companion transport, which is of equivalent quality as a disc spinner. We A/B'd using the spdif/transport input vs. the USB with the MRendu + LPS1 (didn't have the DC 4 yet). It was clear to us that the the USB team sounded decisively better. I don't think that would have been true for any other incarnation of my computer front end. -- David

[Forehaven]

I got the DC-4 cable from Sonore for connecting the LPS1 with the Microrendu, and posted this on the Sonore forum:

 

 

I've had my Microrendu for a couple of months, the LPS1 for a couple of weeks, and the DC-4 cable for a couple of days. I'm happy to be the first to pipe up (I think) with my initial impressions of the new cable, and they are very positive. I'm a big believer in the power of a good power cord, so it wasn't surprising to me. Compared with the stock cable, the soundstage and instrumental imaging were more fully fleshed out and there was more musical nuance and detail. Not subtle at all -- apparent very quickly.

 

To take a step back, the combination of Roon (which I discovered as part of trying out the MRendu), the MRendu, the LPS1 and the DC-4 has really been a coming of age for computer audio, in my very HO. I have the marvelous Acoustic Plan DAC, and my friend recently brought over the companion transport, which is of equivalent quality as a disc spinner. We A/B'd using the spdif/transport input vs. the USB with the MRendu + LPS1 (didn't have the DC 4 yet). It was clear to us that the the USB team sounded decisively better. I don't think that would have been true for any other incarnation of my computer front end. -- David

 

I totally agree David about coming of age. I feel the same and just remarked on that to my husband the other night. I've recently added a Spring Dac, Singxer Su-1 which allowed I2S...a big improvement over USB..Intona, MicroRendu and LPS-1. Quite remarkable products that are all new or relatively new.

Thanks for the review of the DC 4. Looks very tempting

[str-1]

I got the DC-4 cable from Sonore for connecting the LPS1 with the Microrendu, and posted this on the Sonore forum:

I've had my Microrendu for a couple of months, the LPS1 for a couple of weeks, and the DC-4 cable for a couple of days. I'm happy to be the first to pipe up (I think) with my initial impressions of the new cable, and they are very positive. I'm a big believer in the power of a good power cord, so it wasn't surprising to me. Compared with the stock cable, the soundstage and instrumental imaging were more fully fleshed out and there was more musical nuance and detail. Not subtle at all -- apparent very quickly.

Arrgh! Will these temptations never end. Got the LPS-1 for my mRendu last week, the Focal Utopias yesterday and the Sonore usb hard adapter today. Really must evaluate these changes properly begore considering the DC-4. Slightly surprised to learn the DC-4 is a copper cable; was expecting most short-length upgrades to be based on silver wiring.

[tapatrick]

Jesus, holy smoke! After much delay due to one thing and another I've managed to get my new LPS-1 plugged into my system (Upgraded Antipodes DXe, Aqua La Voce S2 Dac, Eastern Electric integrated tube amp, Omega Super Alnico Monitors).

 

I made a DIY usb cable with silver wire and am powering the 5V of the USB with the LPS-1 into my DAC. Wasn't sure if the DAC was going to recognise it but all works perfectly. Right away its an astounding improvement, voices are particularly sublime. Very bad as its midnight and I can't go to bed! Simply WOW, thanks Alex and John and team for a fabulous product.

[mwhitak]

Anyone ever going to offer thoughts on listening comparisons with the Sonore LPSU ?

[limniscate]

So how much better is the LPS-1 over the HDPlex 9V?

[genjamon]

So how much better is the LPS-1 over the HDPlex 9V?

 

As much of an improvement as going from a crappy wall wart to the HDPlex. Though you have to realize the LPS-1 can only do 7V out - it can't do 9V out.

[limniscate]

As much of an improvement as going from a crappy wall wart to the HDPlex. Though you have to realize the LPS-1 can only do 7V out - it can't do 9V out.

That's massive!

Yes, I'm aware. I read that the HDPlex with microRendu sounds the best at 9V, so I just left it at that, which happens to be the default setting for the adjustable rail.

[Superdad]

I read that the HDPlex with microRendu sounds the best at 9V...

 

All 9V does is get the microRendu very hot. Does not make it sound better. DC into it gets dropped down to 5V and lower.

 

Ciao,

 

--Alex C.

[feelingears]

Hi, sorry, I've been traveling.

 

Feel free to reach out to Dave, owner of zenwaveaudio.com. He is very responsive and with very quick turnaround. I can also vouch for the quality of his work and he can custom configure to your needs.

 

I can't speak for the other DC cables being sold but IMO, the best DC is about speed and so the best DC cabling will have the lowest resistance (impedance) possible. No natural conductor is faster (and has lower resistance) than silver and the purer, the better. Moreover, you cannot commercially obtain purer silver than UP-OCC grade silver (99.9999% pure). It is expensive but there is nothing better.

 

Finally, the barrel connectors themselves will add resistance. I specified the Oyaide gold-plated brass connectors (2.1mm x 5.5mm) because they are the best I could find but they will not be better than directly hardwiring the LPS-1 to your mR. If you are willing to send your mR and LPS-1 to Dave at zenwaveaudio.com (based in Colorado), he will hardwire the two for you with whatever length of 18g solid core UP-OCC grade silver you desire. Dave has made several custom-specified cables for me over the past few months (y-adapters, headphone cables, DC cables) and I am a very happy customer. His workmanship is top notch.

@romaz Thank you for posting this recommendation. I got one and it's a BIG difference: Lower lows, higher/airier highs vs. what I already thought was great sound from the stock cable. There's more there, there, as the saying goes. It's rather incredible, frankly. And to be honest, I don't know if I am used to this sound. It seems the mids are less prominent, but maybe it's because the highs and lows are stronger? But it's more than just that--as I said, there's more sonic meat on the bones of what's already there. It's thicker, but not slower. (Or maybe it's just a hair slower, meaning my head bobbing is not quite as head-banging bobbing as with the stock copper. Perhaps this will change more over time as the silver cable does have a burn-in period where the bass isn't anything special. And then, boom! Or, bloom! But still tight.)

 

Don't get me wrong: stock cable is kinda great as is. I just decided to see if this silver thing opens up the treble as people say. In my "new" system it's working--both frequency ends and in-between as well. Wow, Happy sonic Thanksgiving to all!

[genjamon]

That's massive!

Yes, I'm aware. I read that the HDPlex with microRendu sounds the best at 9V, so I just left it at that, which happens to be the default setting for the adjustable rail.

 

Well, YMMV, but I did find it to be a massive improvement in my system. However, the benefits were different in character. The HDPlex brought out a lot more natural body and realism to the music compared to a cheap SMPS, the iFi, or even the El Cheapo LPS. What the Uptone LPS-1 did was retain all that natural realism, and then really tightened up the bass, opened up the soundstage with a lot more air and space, and really increased instrumental separation, plus a touch more natural tone/body as well. So, it's a bit apples/oranges to say they have the same level of effect, but my impression is it's in the same ballpark of magnitude - in my system and my ears.

[Ebag4]

I have had my LPS-1 for a week and a half so I thought I would give some feedback.

 

For reference, the LPS-1 is powering a microRendu which is feeding an Auralic Vega, a sonic transporter is running Roon, music is on a Synology NAS and Tidal. This all feeds a Bottlehead Kaiju with the DC filament conversion, Elrog 300Bs,GE 5 star 5670s, Clarity MR and Jupiter copper caps; this drives a pair of GR Research Wedgies with the foundation supplied by a pair of servo subs in OB per side each with its own servo amp. All power runs through a PI Audio Uberbuss, the RCAs are High Fidelity CT-1s, Morrow Audio SP5 speaker cables, TWL and stock power cables.

 

I sit near field. The system is dead quiet, the LPS-1 made it more quiet, significantly, as in no problem hearing the difference.

 

I was previously driving the microRendu with the iFi power supply that came with it. Initially, with the LPS-1 in the system, I thought that, while the noise floor hit zero, the dynamics took a slight hit. I was listening last night, I no longer feel this is the case, this is the best my system has sounded, really engaging, blackness between the notes, great. I am very happy with this purchase. Thanks guys, great product.

 

Best,

Ed