ISO REGEN launch thread! (product web page up; photos, etc.)

[Cornan]

4 minutes ago, magnuska said:

Ah to bad, 

 

Thanks Micael!

 

You are welcome Magnus! Do not make that put you off the Entreq grounding boxes though. They are an amazing piece of kit that just have to be heard to be appreciated.

 

Micael

 

[bit01]

I have been using the USB Regen with a Teac UD-501. I have a laptop plugged into the Regen which is powered by a TP 7/2. I have two other source components I use plugged into the SPDIF inputs, so I have to switch inputs every now and then. All worked well with the Regen.

 

I replaced it with the ISO Regen (ISO engaged) . It works fine however when I switch to another input and return to USB, the DAC does NOT go into 'USB ready' mode, just displays USB. It will not 'lock' (or handshake?) with the ISO Regen until I cycle power to either of them. Not a deal breaker, only a royal PITA. This did not happen with the Regen.

 

Is there something that can be done -firmware upgrade or the like? Any help is most appreciated.

[bit01]

8 hours ago, bit01 said:

I have been using the USB Regen with a Teac UD-501. I have a laptop plugged into the Regen which is powered by a TP 7/2. I have two other source components I use plugged into the SPDIF inputs, so I have to switch inputs every now and then. All worked well with the Regen.

 

I replaced it with the ISO Regen (ISO engaged) . It works fine however when I switch to another input and return to USB, the DAC does NOT go into 'USB ready' mode, just displays USB. It will not 'lock' (or handshake?) with the ISO Regen until I cycle power to either of them. Not a deal breaker, only a royal PITA. This did not happen with the Regen.

 

Is there something that can be done -firmware upgrade or the like? Any help is most appreciated.

 

The bold text above should have read 'until I cycle power to the ISO Regen'. On/off of the DAC does not change anything.

[Cornan]

28 minutes ago, bit01 said:

 

The bold text above should have read 'until I cycle power to the ISO Regen'. On/off of the DAC does not change anything.

 

If you are running Windows 10 you can try to right click on the windows logo and choose "Device Manager" and follow this instruction on ALL of your USB Root hubs  https://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-xp-tips/prevent-windows-from-powering-off-usb-device/

No guarantee that it will solve your issue, but there is a good chance it could if the power saving option is ticked.

[bit01]

2 hours ago, Cornan said:

 

If you are running Windows 10 you can try to right click on the windows logo and choose "Device Manager" and follow this instruction on ALL of your USB Root hubs  https://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-xp-tips/prevent-windows-from-powering-off-usb-device/

No guarantee that it will solve your issue, but there is a good chance it could if the power saving option is ticked.

Hi Cornan,

Thank you for the suggestion-did it but it does not help this situation.

The controller reports 'unknown usb device (device descriptor request failed)' until I cycle the IR power

B.

[Cornan]

3 minutes ago, bit01 said:

Hi Cornan,

Thank you for the suggestion-did it but it does not help this situation.

The controller reports 'unknown usb device (device descriptor request failed)' until I cycle the IR power

B.

 

Have you tried to uninstall/install the USB driver? 

It could ofcouse also be a signal ground issue. You could try to do Alex C´s trick to squeeze (lightly) a stranded wire in the USB output port together with the USB cable (touching the outer shell of the plug and inner shell of the socket) and attach the other end of the cable to any signal or chassi ground on your DAC.

[Frojo]

Hi,

i am not sure if my experience is relevant, but in my Mac mini - Iso Regen/LPs1 - Chord Hugo set up, any interruption in the chain causes the Hugo to be not recognised by the Mac. Not a scenario i experienced with the amber regen. I have tried re- powering the Iso and or the hugo and eventually having to re-start the mac. I have found that i can bypass that process by switching the 'Iso' switch off and on again once the hugo is recognised......ymmv

[bit01]

 Hi Cornan, Frojo

 

Gnd wire does not fix this - I found that just plug-unplug USB chord also works. I will be doing this in the meantime.

 

Thank you both for your thoughts and input.

[Cornan]

6 minutes ago, bit01 said:

 Hi Cornan, Frojo

 

Gnd wire does not fix this - I found that just plug-unplug USB chord also works. I will be doing this in the meantime.

 

Thank you both for your thoughts and input.

 

You´re welcome bit01! I hope you´ll get it sorted out.

BTW. You can try to connect a  GND wire between the pc and the DAC as well if you want. It might work better if the ISO Regen somehow disturbes the GND (handskake) signal between the pc and the DAC. If your DAC require 5v as well for handshake you´ll might need to do the same way as I do, ie. have a USB injection into the ISO Regen and turn the ISO off.

[bit01]

I moved the ISO Regen to another setup that uses the mR and a different DAC (NAIM DAC-V1). There are no switching issues (mentioned above)  in this setup,  and IR benefits are more apparent. I moved the LPS-1 to the IR.

 

PC/PPA V2 USB (LPS powered)>Anker USB/Ethernet>mR (LPS powered)>USPCB>IR (LPS-1 powered)>USPCB>DAC

 

This setup has improved the perceived bass response (detail & extension). It is also apparent that there is much less digital edge/hardness/glare remaining if any. Good & thanks to Uptone/Sonore!

 

ATB.

[Horace28]

Hello all,

I have a strange issue,

When I put the USPCB Adapter after the Iso Regen I get a sort of "pop" or "click" sound every minute or so. This sound doesn't happen when I move the adapter to before the ISO. But I know the manual says to have the adapter after the ISO so I would rather have it in its proper position.

[Superdad]

19 hours ago, Horace28 said:

Hello all,

I have a strange issue,

When I put the USPCB Adapter after the Iso Regen I get a sort of "pop" or "click" sound every minute or so. This sound doesn't happen when I move the adapter to before the ISO. But I know the manual says to have the adapter after the ISO so I would rather have it in its proper position.

 

This will sound odd, but I suspect the issue is not the USPCB Adapter being after the ISO REGEN, but rather is caused by the USB cable that you are using before the ISO REGEN in that set up.  So moving the USPCB to before is curing it not because of a fault with it after, but because you are removing a problematic cable from before it.  The ISO REGEN (actually the Silanna isolator chip) is more sensitive on the upstream side (no so much sonically but functionally) than on the downstream side.

 

So try putting the USPCB after the ISO REGEN but use a different cable between the computer and the DAC.

 

Let us know how that works out for you.

 

Thanks and regards,

--Alex C.

[Horace28]

3 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

This will sound odd, but I suspect the issue is not the USPCB Adapter being after the ISO REGEN, but rather is caused by the USB cable that you are using before the ISO REGEN in that set up.  So moving the USPCB to before is curing it not because of a fault with it after, but because you are removing a problematic cable from before it.  The ISO REGEN (actually the Silanna isolator chip) is more sensitive on the upstream side (no so much sonically but functionally) than on the downstream side.

 

So try putting the USPCB after the ISO REGEN but use a different cable between the computer and the DAC.

 

Let us know how that works out for you.

 

Thanks and regards,

--Alex C.

 

Thanks Alex. I suspected that might be the problem and will order another USPCB to go before the ISO REGEN, since quite a few people seem to like the dual USPCB setup.

[Horace28]

5 hours ago, Horace28 said:

 

Thanks Alex. I suspected that might be the problem and will order another USPCB to go before the ISO REGEN, since quite a few people seem to like the dual USPCB setup.

 

For those who do have this setup: how on earth do you arrange it? With two 90 degree USPCBs I would need to have my DAC upside down for it to connect from my PC's usb port!

[sima66]

I apologize if this is inappropriate, but I need to mod and induct 5V into the USPCB for my Diverter and the mod that I always used , now it doesn't work! I can't get power to my Diverter!

So I wondered if there is something different with USPCB or I'm doing something wrong?!

 

[mozes]

2 minutes ago, sima66 said:

I apologize if this is inappropriate, but I need to mod and induct 5V into the USPCB for my Diverter and the mod that I always used , now it doesn't work! I can't get power to my Diverter!

So I wondered if there is something different with USPCB or I'm doing something wrong?!

 

Waw someone more adventurous more than me! I wish I could help but the USPCB is not a regular adapter. Your best bet is to order a new one, it is not expensive and Alex has it on the website now. Just my 2c

[sima66]

Adapter is still working in the original way.

Problem is that, when I use in the USB chain, I don't have the 5V coming into the USPCB and that's why I need to ad an external 5V.

[Cornan]

3 minutes ago, sima66 said:

Adapter is still working in the original way.

Problem is that, when I use in the USB chain, I don't have the 5V coming into the USPCB and that's why I need to ad an external 5V.

 

Why did you choose to butcher the USPCB when there are perfectly fine USB injection cables around? This Teradak USB power splitter  cable is just one example.

Is it a LT3045 I am spotting in the background? Awesome voltage regulator! ?

 

[sima66]

13 minutes ago, Cornan said:

 

Why did you choose to butcher the USPCB when there are perfectly fine USB injection cables around? This Teradak USB power splitter  cable is just one example.

Is it a LT3045 I am spotting in the background? Awesome voltage regulator! ?

 

I'm trying to avoid as many connections and wires as possible.

This way I have a pure silver wire soldered to USPCB connector and to LT3045.

 

[Cornan]

27 minutes ago, sima66 said:

I'm trying to avoid as many connections and wires as possible.

This way I have a pure silver wire soldered to USPCB connector and to LT3045.

 

 

Cool, only respect for that approach from my point of view! Cutting of unnecessary connections do improve the final result. ?

Since the USPCB is galvanicly isolated it makes things more complicated though. I would love to help you if I knew how to. Are you sure that you've got the connections right? It could be that the chip requires 3,3v and not 5v...but then it might already have been fried. 

I cross my fingers that you get it up and running! ?

[Superdad]

55 minutes ago, sima66 said:

Adapter is still working in the original way.

Problem is that, when I use in the USB chain, I don't have the 5V coming into the USPCB and that's why I need to ad an external 5V.

 

Difficult to see what you have done since the heat-shrink you left is obscuring view of the pins of the B plug.  Did you completely cut the 5V pin where it connects to the board? Or did you just move the VBUS switch to the OFF position (which is what I would do if I was trying to turn a USPCB into a VBUS injector.

 

But what place are you using the USPCB?  In other words, what do you have its 'A' plug connected to?

Looks like you tortured the USB 'A' plug pretty badly too.

I'm sure you realize you have voided your USPCB's 3-year warranty! 

 

Some people seem to think that the USPCB has some "magical' function in a chain.  It does not.  It is only meant to substitute for a cable.  The idea being that it is not a cable--rather it is a proper impedance designed, shielded, 4-layer PCB.  The point of it is to maintain high signal integrity from the output of an ISO REGEN or other device.

 

 

[sima66]

I just soldered the silver wire on the pin 1 (V-bus) and pin 4 (ground) to the B  connector. I did not cut anything, I just added the wire on the existing leads.

The USPCB is working normally when power is coming from the A connector.

 

But, I need to use from the Regen who does not have 5V out, because is powered directly with 3.3V.

So the USPCB is between the Regen with no 5V out and Sonicweld Diverter.

 

P.S.Can I have at list two years warranty? 

[sima66]

UPDATE:

Problem was in  the 5V LT3045 500mA.

Soon as I switched to 1A it works!

I don't know if was something faulty with the first LT, because the power consumption of the Diverter is less than 350mA and it should be enough!

[Horace28]

On 11/28/2017 at 2:43 PM, Superdad said:

 

This will sound odd, but I suspect the issue is not the USPCB Adapter being after the ISO REGEN, but rather is caused by the USB cable that you are using before the ISO REGEN in that set up.  So moving the USPCB to before is curing it not because of a fault with it after, but because you are removing a problematic cable from before it.  The ISO REGEN (actually the Silanna isolator chip) is more sensitive on the upstream side (no so much sonically but functionally) than on the downstream side.

 

So try putting the USPCB after the ISO REGEN but use a different cable between the computer and the DAC.

 

Let us know how that works out for you.

 

Thanks and regards,

--Alex C.

 

An update from this issue: I have tried several ways of connecting the ISO REGEN.

1. Using the hard connector with an ordinary USB cable

2. Curious Regen link in a variety of combinations, including one on each side

3. USPCB in a variety of combinations, including on each side

 

Each gives me the same result - a clicking sound from the speakers. So I'm not sure if it's the cable. Sometimes the sound goes away for several minutes but it always comes back and it's loud enough to be distracting. I thought I might be able to live with it but especially with quiet music such as classical it can be really quite loud.

 

Is there another possibility for what may be causing this problem?

 

Thanks.

[Superdad]

On 12/27/2017 at 4:46 AM, Horace28 said:

 

An update from this issue: I have tried several ways of connecting the ISO REGEN.

1. Using the hard connector with an ordinary USB cable

2. Curious Regen link in a variety of combinations, including one on each side

3. USPCB in a variety of combinations, including on each side

 

Each gives me the same result - a clicking sound from the speakers. So I'm not sure if it's the cable. Sometimes the sound goes away for several minutes but it always comes back and it's loud enough to be distracting. I thought I might be able to live with it but especially with quiet music such as classical it can be really quite loud.

 

Is there another possibility for what may be causing this problem?

 

Thanks.

 

Hi Horace:

Thank you for the follow-up.  Have you tried putting the red switch of the ISO REGEN in the up ('ON') position?  Does this cure your problem?  Let us know if it does and we can go from there.

You are also welcome to contact us directly--via the contract page on our web site.

 

Happy New Years to all!

 

--Alex C.