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The thread that off-topic posts get tossed into; Feel free to continue whatever discussions here.


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I agree. The mR was the biggest improvement I ever had with computer audio. Just a question. My mR is feed by a Sbooster. Is there anyone who had the opportunity to compare it to the LPS-1? Thank you.

 

Sent from my SM-G925I using Computer Audiophile mobile app

Which sbooster?

macmini M1>ethernet / elgar iso tran(2.5kVa, .0005pfd)>consonance pw-3 boards>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360)>etherRegen(js-2)>ghent ethernet(et linkway cat8 jssg360) >ultraRendu (clones lpsu>lps1.2)>curious regen link>rme adi-2 dac(js-2)>cawsey cables>naquadria sp2 passive pre> 1.naquadria lucien mkII.5 power>elac fs249be + elac 4pi plus.2> 2.perreaux9000b(mods)>2x naquadria 12” passive subs.

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Imust say, I didn't think it would happen, but after a few days of the LPS-1 feeding my microRendu, the sound has gotten better over the first day. I've kep both mRendu and LPS-1 on at all times. The sound is even more realistic, without a trace of edginess.

 

Now, as soon as I can get my Focal Utopia cans in, I believe my system will be pretty damn complete.

 

Off topic but what are you feeding to your soon to arrive Utopias?

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Off topic but what are you feeding to your soon to arrive Utopias?

 

 

Chord DAVE. My sig is pretty up to date, minus a power cord here and there and my Curious Cable USB link. The more simple the better.

SonicTransporter i5 -> Linn KDS/3 -> M3a-800S -> EgglestonWorks Andra II

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One additional thing I have tried is to unplug the MacBook Pro and run it from its battery while plugging the El Cheapo into the B&K, to see whether any possible noise the El Cheapo was putting back into the mains might be stopped that way. To me it sounds as if this has made a further improvement, and since the B&K is quite inexpensive, I've decided to get another one in order to plug both the MacBook Pro and the El Cheapo into them.

 

The power supplies for the Macbook's notoriously raise the 0V of the supply to some higher AC voltage, due to the leakage of the Y capacitor in the SMPS. I measured the AC volts when plugged in, and at the location IIRC was 60-85V from real ground to the chassis on the MacBookPro (from a 230V system).

This voltage then couples to the 0V on the usb port as well.

 

Ideally, the PSU for the Macbook should have three prongs on the AC side, to shunt this voltage to a safer level and reduce the noise. I'm not aware, but maybe there are 3rd party power supplies with this feature for Apple notebooks. Here's a teardown of what's inside an older PSU.

AS Profile Equipment List        Say NO to MQA

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The power supplies for the Macbook's notoriously raise the 0V of the supply to some higher AC voltage, due to the leakage of the X capacitor in the SMPS. I measured the AC volts when plugged in, and at the location IIRC was 60-85V from real ground to the chassis on the MacBookPro (from a 230V system).

This voltage then couples to the 0V on the usb port as well.

 

Ideally, the PSU for the Macbook should have three prongs on the AC side, to shunt this voltage to a safer level and reduce the noise. I'm not aware, but maybe there are 3rd party power supplies with this feature for Apple notebooks. Here's a teardown of what's inside an older PSU.

 

X Cap, duh, sorry.

AS Profile Equipment List        Say NO to MQA

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The power supplies for the Macbook's notoriously raise the 0V of the supply to some higher AC voltage, due to the leakage of the Y capacitor in the SMPS. I measured the AC volts when plugged in, and at the location IIRC was 60-85V from real ground to the chassis on the MacBookPro (from a 230V system).

This voltage then couples to the 0V on the usb port as well.

 

Ideally, the PSU for the Macbook should have three prongs on the AC side, to shunt this voltage to a safer level and reduce the noise. I'm not aware, but maybe there are 3rd party power supplies with this feature for Apple notebooks. Here's a teardown of what's inside an older PSU.

 

Yes, that part was quite obvious. I did feel adding an iso transformer for the El Cheapo resulted in a (much smaller) benefit, too.

 

But regarding the subject of the thread, I'm very happy with what I hear with the LPS-1 in the system.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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Yes, that part was quite obvious. I did feel adding an iso transformer for the El Cheapo resulted in a (much smaller) benefit, too.

 

Jud

The Regen improves matters markedly when fed by something much better than a basic LM317T etc. voltage regulator.

The use of the R-core transformer in the el cheapo gives a very worthwhile improvement over normal toroidal transformers due to less capacitance between primary and secondary sides. Does this transformer have a shield wire connected back to mains earth ? My +9V LM317T based linear PSU, but with a JLH PSU add-on sounds markedly improved over a similar set up to yours, with a further small improvement when the screen wire of my R-core transformer isn't connected to mains earth.

Have you tried powering your Regen from say a 7.2V Li Ion battery ?

 

Regards

Alex

 

How a Digital Audio file sounds, or a Digital Video file looks, is governed to a large extent by the Power Supply area. All that Identical Checksums gives is the possibility of REGENERATING the file to close to that of the original file.

PROFILE UPDATED 13-11-2020

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Jud

 

Have you tried powering your Regen from say a 7.2V Li Ion battery ?

 

Regards

Alex

 

Yes.

 

I just have one battery supply, and the positive effect on the sound was greater when using it to power the NAA (Cubox) than when using it to power the Regen. Now that I've got the LPS-1 between the El Cheapo and the Regen, there's even less reason for a battery supply, and once the second B&K arrives I think there will be none at all.

 

Frankly, I could easily live with the wonderful sound I'm getting from my current system with the LPS-1. For my ears, I'm well into smaller levels of difference now. But of course I'm curious and did that bit of experimenting and thought running the El Cheapo from the B&K made things just slightly better, and it was well worth the cost of less than $100 to make that arrangement permanent.

 

I think this is very illustrative of what you and others been saying for a long time now, Alex, that clean power makes quite a difference. Down past the point where noise is audible, it seems to me it can make small details of the music and the recording ambience inaudible. Having those restored feels like a good thing on both the conscious level - what I'm hearing - and the subconscious level of greater long term listening ease.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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Hi Jud

It has been my experience that the better the PSU for the Regen, the better it performs, and no matter how much you isolate the AC side of the PSU, it's the ultra low noise and low Z of the PSU that matters most , and that is where the el cheapo is found lacking as you have found .

A simple battery supply by itself, even though there is no coupling back to the AC mains,is not quite good enough by itself either. You need voltage regulation with the battery supply as it's voltage will drop with use, as well as a way to further reduce the output impedance of the voltage regulator over a wide bandwidth .

A couple of banks of Ultracaps in series (for voltage ratings) , and in parallel with the battery might help where some use ,say a 7.2V Li Ion battery to power the Regen directly ?

Perhaps a future version of the LPS-1 will have higher current capabilities and 2 separate outlets ?

Kind Regards

Alex

 

How a Digital Audio file sounds, or a Digital Video file looks, is governed to a large extent by the Power Supply area. All that Identical Checksums gives is the possibility of REGENERATING the file to close to that of the original file.

PROFILE UPDATED 13-11-2020

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Hi Jud

It has been my experience that the better the PSU for the Regen, the better it performs, and no matter how much you isolate the AC side of the PSU, it's the ultra low noise and low Z of the PSU that matters most , and that is where the el cheapo is found lacking as you have found .

A simple battery supply by itself, even though there is no coupling back to the AC mains,is not quite good enough by itself either. You need voltage regulation with the battery supply as it's voltage will drop with use, as well as a way to further reduce the output impedance of the voltage regulator over a wide bandwidth .

Several Ultracaps in parallel with the battery might help where you use say a 7.2V Li Ion battery to power the Regen directly ?

 

Kind Regards

Alex

 

Hi Alex -

 

I'm using the El Cheapo to power the LPS-1. In turn the LPS-1 powers the Regen. As noted by Alex and John and confirmed by folks on this thread (and I believe in harmony with your thinking regarding ultra low noise and low Z), this works beautifully. I don't think the Regen needs anything more in terms of power.

 

My thought about the El Cheapo was regarding the other direction: any distortion at all it might be kicking back into the mains. From my listening, if this was a concern it was a small one, because the system sounded very good, especially after adding the LPS-1. I thought I did hear a small improvement, so if I was not imagining things, perhaps the El Cheapo was kicking back just a bit of stuff into the wall. The B&K either stopped the noise flowing back from the El Cheapo into the wall, or if I really was imagining things, it's a relatively cheap placebo at under $100. :)

 

I don't want to get lost in the smaller improvement (the B&K), though. The LPS-1 definitely improved the sound from the system, even after the measures I've taken to reduce noise.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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OK, time for a little more detail. ;)

 

Hi Jud,

 

Great to hear that the Baaske Ethernet isolation and B&K AC isolation transformers are adding value alongside the LPS1 in your system.

 

Warning these things are addictive. I now own 4 Ethernet isolation transformers, and 5 AC isolation transformers.

 

It's a slippery slope.

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

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Hi Jud,

 

Great to hear that the Baaske Ethernet isolation and B&K AC isolation transformers are adding value alongside the LPS1 in your system.

 

Warning these things are addictive. I now own 4 Ethernet isolation transformers, and 5 AC isolation transformers.

 

It's a slippery slope.

 

Which isolation transformers you are using?

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Which isolation transformers you are using?

 

I am using one of these, soon to be two; lmitche is using one or more of these also:

 

Model 1604A, Single Output Isolation Transformer - B&K Precision

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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Hi Gang:

 

I generally don't care much about our sponsored forum threads wandering off topic--this place is just a discussion forum after all, and I enjoy ALL of what get posted.

But I have decided to take a little more active hand in keeping two new threads on topic--for the benefit of people wandering in from elsewhere. The threads are:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f27-uptone-audio-sponsored/ultracap%99-linear-power-supply-1-listening-impressions-thread-30172/

 

and

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f27-uptone-audio-sponsored/ultracap%99-linear-power-supply-1-operation-and-pre-purchase-thread-30173/

 

Rather than deleting posts from those threads, at my discretion I will simply move them into this thread. You are welcome to continue whatever discussions here. And if the dialog picks up a solid theme, we can make a new thread with that as the subject line and move all those posts to it.

 

Please let me know if you object to any of this in general or in specific.

 

Thanks and regards,

 

--Alex C.

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I bought one of these, used on eBay for about 1/3 the price new: Baaske Medical Ethernet Network Isolator 5kV MI 1005, 2005674

 

Edit: P.S. Thanks, Alex. :)

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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To provide context for the previous post:

 

Which isolation transformers you are using?

 

I am using one of these, soon to be two; lmitche is using one or more of these also:

 

Model 1604A, Single Output Isolation Transformer - B&K Precision

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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Hi Jud,

 

Great to hear that the Baaske Ethernet isolation and B&K AC isolation transformers are adding value alongside the LPS1 in your system.

 

Warning these things are addictive. I now own 4 Ethernet isolation transformers, and 5 AC isolation transformers.

 

It's a slippery slope.

 

I have the Emo Systems EN-70HD inline between my cable modem and router. Where else do you think would be beneficial? The router connects to my NAS, PC and the ethernet link to my uRendu in another room.

 

Colin

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I am using one of these, soon to be two; lmitche is using one or more of these also:

 

Model 1604A, Single Output Isolation Transformer - B&K Precision

 

I did not know they offered that little 1:1 isolation transformer. I'm long-time big fan of B&K Precision, but for their high quality, affordable test gear.

I have their current 2709B multimeter and it is a fantastic unit at bargain price. Better accuracy than the cheap Chinese units, and better user interface than a Fluke (at a much lower price). Model 2709B, Auto Ranging True RMS Tool Kit Digital Multimeter - B&K Precision

 

I've been thinking about getting one of their nice programmable DC load units (Model 8602, Programmable DC Electronic Loads - B&K Precision), but it is only one channel, whereas the Chinese electronic load box I have now is dual-channel and allows me to test and burn-in two UltraCap LPS-1 units at a time.

 

--AJC

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I have the Emo Systems EN-70HD inline between my cable modem and router. Where else do you think would be beneficial? The router connects to my NAS, PC and the ethernet link to my uRendu in another room.

 

Colin

Hi Colin,

 

I have four, one between the cable modem and router like you, one between the cable TV tuner and router, one between my music wifi adapter and music NAS, and one between the music NAS and upsampling audiopc.

 

It is amazing how much better my home network is performing. My TV picture is so phenomenal a neighbor asked how I did it. And well, the music system sounds great!

 

Larry

Pareto Audio aka nuckleheadaudio

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I think we have the problem surrounded.

 

What's next?

 

Next is to apply the lessons we have learned so far in the PSU and mains isolation areas, and further improve the Signal Integrity before it gets to the Regen. The Regen with a vastly improved power supply, is not just for RB CD and high res playback.

Why should we now settle for anything less with our AV files when exported in real time via USB ?

Windows users can use freeware programs such as VLC media player to do this.

In fact, we can also improve the S.I of our files when saving them initially to USB Memory etc. via the Regen to obtain a further improvement. Even then, playing them back via the Regen results in a further worthwhile improvement. Perhaps a future , further improved Regen design won't need a 2nd pass to achieve this ?

 

How a Digital Audio file sounds, or a Digital Video file looks, is governed to a large extent by the Power Supply area. All that Identical Checksums gives is the possibility of REGENERATING the file to close to that of the original file.

PROFILE UPDATED 13-11-2020

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