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The new generation UltraCap LPS-1.2: USER IMPRESSIONS and QUESTIONS thread


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14 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

Aside from being a higher wattage unit (required to supply the expanded output voltage range of the new generation LPS-1.2) the new SMPS is internally "ground-shunted," so it does not output any high-impedance leakage.  

Our UltraCap supplies (both the LPS-1 and the LPS-1.2) completely block the path of low-impedance leakage, but because we use transistors (which have a few picoFarads each of capacitance) to alternate between ultracapacitor banks (instead of mechanical noisy relays), we discovered that some of a lesser-known form of AC leakage (high-impedance leakage) was able to pass through the UltraCap units.  It is easily dealt with by shunting the AC mains ground to the DC output zero-volt "ground," and John even passed along a DIY trick to do this.

But for the release of the LPS-1.2, the obvious thing to do was to include a supply that is already internally shunted.

[The LPS-1.2 also uses transistors with about 1/3rd the total capacitance, but really that is more of a belt-and-suspenders approach since the included UpTone-branded SMPS charger does not output any high-impedance leakage in the first place.]

So @Superdad for best results would you suggest using the included SMPS with the LPS-1.2 versus a linear power supply like the HDPlex?

12TB NAS >> i7-6700 Server/Control PC >> i3-5015u NAA >> Singxer SU-1 DDC (modded) >> Holo Spring L3 DAC >> Accustic Arts Power 1 int amp >> Sonus Faber Guaneri Evolution speakers + REL T/5i sub (x2)

 

Other components:

UpTone Audio LPS1.2/IsoRegen, Fiber Switch and FMC, Windows Server 2016 OS, Audiophile Optimizer 3.0, Fidelizer Pro 6, HQ Player, Roonserver, PS Audio P3 AC regenerator, HDPlex 400W ATX & 200W Linear PSU, Light Harmonic Lightspeed Split USB cable, Synergistic Research Tungsten AC power cords, Tara Labs The One speaker cables, Tara Labs The Two Extended with HFX Station IC, Oyaide R1 outlets, Stillpoints Ultra Mini footers, Hi-Fi Tuning fuses, Vicoustic/RealTraps/GIK room treatments

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22 minutes ago, kissov said:

Has anyone tried this setup.  Uptone JS-2, output one feeding an Uptone modified MacMini at 12v.  Output two feeding an LPS 1.2 at 12V (VxA=W). From the LPS 1.2 vai a Y feeding an ISO and a microRendu.  Any thoughts and dangers? Why?

I tried similar.  In my case I used an HDPlex linear power supply at both 12v and 19v powering the LPS-1.2.  Downstream the LPS-1.2 powered an IsoRegen and SU-1.  I preferred the sound without the Y splitter.  In terms of danger, assuming your splitter cable is well made you should be ok.  I don't have a microrendu so I am not sure about the total amps though.  What voltage are you planning to power the IsoRegen and microrendu at?

12TB NAS >> i7-6700 Server/Control PC >> i3-5015u NAA >> Singxer SU-1 DDC (modded) >> Holo Spring L3 DAC >> Accustic Arts Power 1 int amp >> Sonus Faber Guaneri Evolution speakers + REL T/5i sub (x2)

 

Other components:

UpTone Audio LPS1.2/IsoRegen, Fiber Switch and FMC, Windows Server 2016 OS, Audiophile Optimizer 3.0, Fidelizer Pro 6, HQ Player, Roonserver, PS Audio P3 AC regenerator, HDPlex 400W ATX & 200W Linear PSU, Light Harmonic Lightspeed Split USB cable, Synergistic Research Tungsten AC power cords, Tara Labs The One speaker cables, Tara Labs The Two Extended with HFX Station IC, Oyaide R1 outlets, Stillpoints Ultra Mini footers, Hi-Fi Tuning fuses, Vicoustic/RealTraps/GIK room treatments

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11 hours ago, Geoff1954 said:

My LPS 1.2 just arrived and I notice one odd  behavior that I don't understand.

I have it plugged in to a microRendu. I do not leave the power turned on over night. When I push the LPS power button it goes green. However the power lights on the microRendu do NOT light up, even if I wait a few minutes. To see the lights on the microRendu I need to unplug the LPS from the other device and plug it back in again. Then the two lights on the microRendu come on.

Is this normal? Does it indicate I have done something wrong? Thanks!

 

Mine does exactly the same thing. So just a quick unplug and plug back in when the green light appears works.

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Oh wow!  I completely forgot (and someone else phoned about this just this week and I did not remember then either):  The microRendu does not like the few milliseconds ramp up of the output  voltage of the paralleled LT3045-based UltraCap LPS1.2.  So indeed it is required that one first boot up the LPS1.2 and then plug its output into the Rendu.  I’m traveling this evening so can’t check my notes about if this applies to the just the microRendu or the UltraRendu—one or both. John will probably remember as we discussed this a month or so ago.

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The LPS-1.2 uses a regulator that takes a fairly long time to ramp up its output voltage, significantly longer than the regulator in the LPS-1. The regulator circuit in the microRendu does not seem to like this slow ramp and will not turn on.

 

There are two ways to deal with this:

 

have the microRendu unplugged from the LPS-1.2, power it up, THEN plug the cable into the microRendu.

 

Use some sort of switch on the output of the LPS-1.2 that waits until the output voltage is already close to max before turning on. This can be a relay or a transistor circuit.

 

The ultraRendu does NOT have this problem, it is just the microRendu.

 

John S.

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7 hours ago, JohnSwenson said:

Use some sort of switch on the output of the LPS-1.2 that waits until the output voltage is already close to max before turning on. This can be a relay or a transistor circuit.

 

Hi John

If you can elaborate a bit on this part would be great.

I am facing a similar issue with my LPS-1.2 when I try to power the SOTM tX-USBexp USB card in my PC. The LPS-1.2 turns green but I hear a slight buzzing noise in the LPS-1.2 and the USB card doesn’t turn on. I have tried 3 different LPS-1.2s and still have the same issue.

 

However, the LPS-1 works absolutely fine, so I am puzzled. 

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Thanks Alex and John. Now if I can only get the web page to control my microRendu to open!

(When I go to http://sonicorbiter.com my microRendu is recognized. But every attempt to manage the device from that page fails because the page never loads. Over and over again it times out. I've written to Small Green Computer and hope to receive an answer. But if anyone else has had this problem and knows how to fix it, I'd appreciate the advice. Apologies as I know this is NOT related to the LPS 1.2.)

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14 hours ago, Superdad said:

Oh wow!  I completely forgot (and someone else phoned about this just this week and I did not remember then either):  The microRendu does not like the few milliseconds ramp up of the output  voltage of the paralleled LT3045-based UltraCap LPS1.2.  So indeed it is required that one first boot up the LPS1.2 and then plug its output into the Rendu.  I’m traveling this evening so can’t check my notes about if this applies to the just the microRendu or the UltraRendu—one or both. John will probably remember as we discussed this a month or so ago.

 

Chord Qutest has no issue with this but... booting the LPS 1.2 will take a veeery long time if it's already plugged to it

 

so when (almost never) I have to turn the DAC or the LPS off I unplug it, wait 'til it has completely finished bootig (led becomes steady green) then plug it to the Qutest

no harm whatsoever to any of the two if one doesn't, though

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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22 minutes ago, pl_svn said:

 

Chord Qutest has no issue with this but... booting the LPS 1.2 will take a veeery long time if it's already plugged to it

 

Really?  That’s odd.  I routinely boot/test LPS-1.2 PCBs with a heavy 1A load on and connected, so what you are experiencing is not an issue of our supply not being willing to boot quickly if a load is present and waiting.

 

By the way, how do you like the SQ of the Chord Qutest/UltraCap LPS1.2 combo?

 

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1 hour ago, pl_svn said:

by "veeery long" I was actually meaning something *looking* as 30-40sec. will try timing it next time I have to turn everything off ;)

 

Chord Qutest + LPS 1.2 replaced an already great combo: 2Qute powered from a JS-2

differences are not night and day but definitely there: most perceivable ones are much "sharper" soundstage and instruments separation and way deeper, with much better control, bass :)

Tried the Qutest with the JS-2? 

austinpop has been admiring the latter with dacs ...

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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Picked up a little segmented voltmter from Amazon.  It reads the volts (7.0 right on) across the G and V terminals on the back of the  LPS 1.2 but it does not read anything across the G and I terminals.  Why?  what am I doing wrong. I was curious how many miliamps the microRendu and the ISO were pulling.  Help.  Thanks.

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15 minutes ago, kissov said:

Picked up a little segmented voltmter from Amazon.  It reads the volts (7.0 right on) across the G and V terminals on the back of the  LPS 1.2 but it does not read anything across the G and I terminals.  Why?  what am I doing wrong. I was curious how many miliamps the microRendu and the ISO were pulling.  Help.  Thanks.

 

If it is the Bayite 3-wire one we recommended (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YALV0NG), then all 3 wires must be attached to the LPS-1.2.  The V terminal, aside from giving you a reading of the voltage setting, is also the power for the meter.  So with the Bayite meter, the black wire goes to G (ground), the red wire goes to V (voltage), and the white wire goes to I (current).  To measure the voltage you put both the red and white wire into the V terminal (and always the black to the G terminal). 

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13 hours ago, pl_svn said:

 

Chord Qutest has no issue with this but... booting the LPS 1.2 will take a veeery long time if it's already plugged to it

 

so when (almost never) I have to turn the DAC or the LPS off I unplug it, wait 'til it has completely finished bootig (led becomes steady green) then plug it to the Qutest

no harm whatsoever to any of the two if one doesn't, though

The LPS devices (both 1 and 1.2) have to discharge the capacitor banks before they can boot up again (the exact reason why is long and complex, I can share if people REALLY want to know, but I warned you). The amount of energy stored in a capacitor depends on the voltage, so since the 1.2 can got to a much higher voltage, it can store a lot more energy. This means it takes a LOT longer to discharge.

 

So if you have been using an LPS-1.2, particularly if you are using 9 or 12V output, turn it off (either with the switch or unplugging the feeder supply), let the LED go black, then turn it back on, it can take several minutes while the banks are discharging before it can start charging again.

 

When you turn on the LPS-1.2, the LED initially goes to red and stays red while it is discharging, then goes to amber while it is doing the initial charging. If the LED stays red for a long time it is discharging the capacitor banks. If the banks are discharged, which happens if you leave it off for a long time, the red lasts for a very small fraction of a second and goes immediately to amber. So the time in red (discharge) can range from a fraction of a second to several minutes depending on how much charge was left in the caps when you turn it on.

 

The charging time also varies, but in this case it is just dependent on the output voltage. It takes much longer to charge the caps for 12V than it does for 5V. The result is that setting to 12V, turning off then very soon turning back on is the worst case, it takes a long time to discharge the banks, then another long time to charge them up again. At 5V the process is MUCH faster.

 

John S.

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16 hours ago, mozes said:

Hi John

If you can elaborate a bit on this part would be great.

I am facing a similar issue with my LPS-1.2 when I try to power the SOTM tX-USBexp USB card in my PC. The LPS-1.2 turns green but I hear a slight buzzing noise in the LPS-1.2 and the USB card doesn’t turn on. I have tried 3 different LPS-1.2s and still have the same issue.

 

However, the LPS-1 works absolutely fine, so I am puzzled. 

Is this acoustic buzzing from the LPS-1.2 itself or over the or from the speakers. Also is it coming from the feeder supply? The LPS-1.2 can take more current from the feeder than the LPS-1, this might cause problems with the feeder you are using. What feeder are you using, is it the same for both the LPS-1 and LPS1.2? The supply Alex provides with the LPS-1.2 can supply much more current than the one supplied with the LPS-1, so if you are using the one that comes with the LPS-1.2 that should not be any problem.

 

Can you check the output voltage on the LPS-1.2 when it is in this state, if it is not delivering the appropriate voltage and is in green, then Alex will replace it for you. Even if the feeder supply cannot handle the current the LED should be red not green.

 

John S.

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1 hour ago, JohnSwenson said:

When you turn on the LPS-1.2, the LED initially goes to red and stays red while it is discharging, then goes to amber while it is doing the initial charging. If the LED stays red for a long time it is discharging the capacitor banks. If the banks are discharged, which happens if you leave it off for a long time, the red lasts for a very small fraction of a second and goes immediately to amber. So the time in red (discharge) can range from a fraction of a second to several minutes depending on how much charge was left in the caps when you turn it on.

 

so... this is why the first time i tuned my LPS 1.2 off (for a short while, just the time to swap a connection) then on again with the Chord Qutest (5v) connected it took so long to boot again

 

I now also remember having read (here and/or on the instruction manual) about letting the unit discharge before turning it on again

 

thank you :)

Qnap HS-264 NAS (powered by an HD-Plex 100w LPS) > Cirrus7 Nimbini v2.5 Media Edition i7-8559U/32/512 running Roon ROCK (powered by a Keces P8 LPS) > Lumin U2  > Metrum Acoustics Adagio NOS digital preamplifier > First Watt SIT 3  power amplifier (or Don Garber Fi "Y" 6922 tube preamplifier + Don Garber Fi "X" 2A3 SET power amplifier, both powered from an Alpha-Core BP-30 Isolated Symmetrical Power Transformer) > Klipsch Cornwall III

 

headphones system:

Cirrus 7 > Lumin U2 > Metrum Acoustics Adagio > Pathos Aurium amplifier (powered by an UpTone Audio JS-2 LPS) > Focal Clear headphones

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6 hours ago, JohnSwenson said:

Is this acoustic buzzing from the LPS-1.2 itself or over the or from the speakers. Also is it coming from the feeder supply? The LPS-1.2 can take more current from the feeder than the LPS-1, this might cause problems with the feeder you are using. What feeder are you using, is it the same for both the LPS-1 and LPS1.2? The supply Alex provides with the LPS-1.2 can supply much more current than the one supplied with the LPS-1, so if you are using the one that comes with the LPS-1.2 that should not be any problem.

 

Can you check the output voltage on the LPS-1.2 when it is in this state, if it is not delivering the appropriate voltage and is in green, then Alex will replace it for you. Even if the feeder supply cannot handle the current the LED should be red not green.

 

John S.

The buzzing noise is from the LPS-1.2 itself. It is the same buzzing noise with the supplied SMPS or with my other 5Amp LPS at 19V. I will measure the voltage output when the light shows green. I don’t think there is any issue with the LPS-1.2 as I have tried 3 LPS-1.2s and they all have the same issue but they all work fine on my other components.

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1 minute ago, mozes said:

The buzzing noise is from the LPS-1.2 itself. It is the same buzzing noise with the supplied SMPS or with my other 5Amp LPS at 19V. I will measure the voltage output when the light shows green. I don’t think there is any issue with the LPS-1.2 as I have tried 3 LPS-1.2s and they all have the same issue but they all work fine on my other components.

 

Since I know you have a Gophert. Try it powering LPS-1.2. It cured my ticking type of buzzing. 

 

 

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