Jump to content

USB Add ons


Recommended Posts

I will be shortly be in a position to compare the following:

Regen USB with a linear power supply

Wired 4 Sound recovery

Intona High speed isolator

Will post mine and others findings shortly

Bruce

Edited by BAM
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites



The AUdio gd looks interesting. This product is removing USB before it reaches the DAC

Spdif vs USB? My source is an Antipodes server. Antipodes Audio believes USB is superior to Spdif.

The USB add ons I will be comparing are supposedly attempting to remove the problems with USB

I have had a short listen to the Intona. Sound tone is not effected. More detail, bass more defined, less edgy.

These are only early impressions and have not done the comparisons with other products

Bruce

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would also be interested to hear what you find.

 

This whole area is very confusing and opens up an expensive can of worms. I've read a lot of forums and reviews about these reclocking/regenerating/isolating devices and I feel more confused about them than before I started. A lot of people are even recommending multiple of these devices in serial connection. If you believe all the improvements that also come along with needing Curious cables throughout the chain and a linear power supply to each device, these things suddenly start adding up to be as expensive as the DACs they are supplying. Surely there has to be diminishing returns or even degradation of signal having a whole train of these things linked together.

 

From what I've gathered, I'm leaning towards buying either a Uptone Audio Regen or the Wyred 4 Sound recovery. Looking forward to what you find out.

 

Cheers

Pete

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pete,

Yes it will be interesting to hear the differences if any.

The results may be dependant on the quality of the music server

I have an Antipodes server (early model) that has a Sotm USB card which I believe does some of the work these add ons do.

I will attempt to do comparisons (with others) in my system and also another hiend system using a laptop. I suspect the results may be different.

I am upgrading my preamp at the moment so I probably won't do any serious listening until the preamp is installed, next week.

Just a note on the Curious USB cable. I have tried many expensive USB cables and none come close to the Curious

Bruce

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



Hi Bruce

 

Seems like everyone that's used the Curious Cables becomes a devoted fan. I think I'm already convinced I'll get one either side of either the regen or recovery.

I've got the impression these devices reduce the relative improvement that better quality music server bring and make the stream reaching the DAC a more equal playing field across different sources.

The more comparisons the better though.

 

Cheers

Pete

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pete & all others interested,

I have done some comparisons of these add ons with a friend of mine who has a very high end system but at the moment is using a laptop

1. Listened to system with no add ons. We are both familiar with his systems sound. Very good.

2. Added Regen alone to system. Some improvement. Not night and day

3. Added Intona alone to system. Again some improvement but not night and day

4. Added Intona and Regen both into system. We were both shocked at the improvement. To my ears everything just sounded right. No hint of a digital sound. Female voice and piano sounded natural.The best that we both had heard in this system

5. Next day we had a chance to try the Recovery with the Itona. Good ,but we think not as good as the Regen

All USB cables are Curious.

The next comparison is with another high end system with an Antiopodes Server with sotm card. Not my system as I am changing preamps so my judgement may be a bit off, so we have to wait for the owner of this system to report

Bruce

Edited by BAM
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pete,

I bought a cheap linear power supply on eBay for about $80. Breeze Audio. It has adjustable voltage which is set at 7.50 volts. Surprisingly well made. If you are tempted to try this make sure it is 240 volt. Standard is 115 volts if think

I don't know if it makes the Regen sound better than the cheap switch mode that comes with it. I have read that a better power supply will improve things but by how much?

During the comparisons the switch mode was used with the Regen and the Recovery.

I have not had to make any changes with the plugs

Bruce

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • 5 weeks later...

Hi Pedro,

Sorry I haven't reported earlier

I have recently purchased a Musical Fidelity KW preamplifier. This is a big jump up in sound quality to what I have been using previously

So while I have been getting used to the MF I have had the add ons out on loan

They are now back. So I have done my comparisons and also heard them on another system

Firstly I must point out that my Antiopodes music server has an upgraded SOTM USB card installed . I believe my system results may be different to a system without the SOTM card eg a laptop

The Regen and the Wired 4 sound Recovery on their own produce very similar improvements but the Intona on its own was the best. The sound became less edgy. Possibly more analogue sounding

In my system the Intona feeding the Regen produced a very deep sound with simple music but became muddled with anything complicated. Similar results were produced with the Wired 4 sound Intona combination.

These devices do not take away the sound quality of different USB cables. I tried a few different cables and still found the Curious main cable and link to be the best.

So in summary although the Intona was the clear winner in my system I heard the Intona and Regen combo in another system and it was agreed was the best. How revealing the system is is also a factor.

I am sure if you get an Intona you won't be sorry. Also the Intona does not require separate power. Runs on USB power

Bruce

Edited by BAM
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for following up on all your testing. Interesting to know you found similar results on both systems. I hadn't considered the Intona as much as the other two (Regen and Recovery) but definitely food for thought. Decisions, decisions.

 

Cheers

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So while I have been getting used to the MF I have had the add ons out on loan

 

Two of the add ons belonged to @@BAM and the third was mine.  So I had the opportunity to listen to a Regen, W4S Recovery and an Intona plus Curious USB cables including 2 links.  The Regen and the W4S were both powered by respective voltage LPS.

 

These comments are related to my system.  Two other people also had a listen.  Our limited but collective consensus with each of the three boxes was that they each made a noticeably perceptible change in what was being heard.  There was no if buts or maybes about the changes.  The Intona on its own was the best followed by the Server connected directly to the DAC with just a cable without either the W4S or Regen.  On its own the Regen was marginally superior to the W4S.  The W4S lacked a little in the midrange.  I own the W4S and I had expected and hoped that it would outperform the Regen but in my system compared to the Regen it did not.

 

When either the Regen or the W4S were connected together with the Intona in the chain the difference between the Regen and the W4S was virtually negligible.  Our definite preference was just the Intona on its own.  The Intona seemed to refine the sound stage and imaging of my system whereas with either of the other two boxes there was a change in the SQ but maybe it was not an overall improvement compared to the system without any of the accessories.  There was some benefit with either the Regen or W4S on their own.  There was a pleasant increased emphasis or weight on the start of the note however other things just did not seem right and overall they did not seem to be a total improvement.

 

I did not try all three accessories in the chain together.  Most of the tracks that we listened to were 16/44.1 so bandwidth for higher resolution was not a factor.

 

Based upon the many comments in various forums about the benefits or otherwise of these accessories and my limited experience with them I have an opinion.  It is highly probable that their use and benefits is system dependent.  Therefore the experience of others could be different to the situation of Bruce and myself.  It may be a case of try them and compare.

 

In the pursuit of system SQ excellence it was an interesting opportunity to try each of these accessories especially in my system and assess their respective impact.  Their impact was easy to discern in each instance.  Each box and the additional LPS are relatively inexpensive.  It would be difficult to achieve such a noticeable system change at a minimal cost with cables for example.  For me the Intona was the shining light.

 

John

Edited by Assisi
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • 4 weeks later...

Hi All,

 

I'm using a Macbook Pro with a cheap Jaycar USB cable with my Audio GD Master 11. To my ears, it sounds great, but I'm curious with all of these USB regen, reclocking devices.

 

Would I see any benefit with one (or more) of these devices in my chain?

 

Also, on my Master 11, it uses the Amanero USB module, which apparently uses its own power, not from the computer. Would that mean that any device which cleans up power won't have an affect on SQ with my Master 11?

 

I understand that I'll need a better USB cable to get the most of out these devices. Any brand recommendations?

 

Thanks,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...
To Top