Yes, I too was surprised because I thought which product I was ordering was very clear. I don't understand how he could have misunderstood, but I'll choose to give him the benefit of the doubt. I was referred to him by the the apparent owner of SBooster, Wiebren Draaijer. Brian is the only U.S. rep as far as I know.

franatic said:

  Yes, it is a filter and a passive device. Filters are effective in eliminating EMI/noise which is always the enemy of SQ. I've not read all the reviews of the sbooster, but there are several very positive reviews on Computer Audiophile. So with everything in computer audio, YRMV. I can say the sbooster made a positive difference in imaging details and noise floor on the Regen in MY system. I am projecting that the Ultra will be a notch better.
 
I can say the combination of the TeraDak U9 and the sbooster is a significant upgrade over the supplied SMPS.
 
Another passive device I love: http://www.musicdirect.com/p-7419-ps-audio-noise-harvester-black.aspx
I have an outlet strip with 6 of them where my system is plugged in. They are like EMI defenders, guarding the gate.

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I also tried those: http://www.audioprism.com/quietline.html
 
They killed transients to my ears, yet again no big miracle under the hood and a ridiculous price tag when you see that it's just two big caps in a plastic case.
 
The Sbooster did exactly this to my ears: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?81454-S-Booster/page10

I also tried the S-Booster between the Teddy Pardo PSU and my SBT. It changed the sound by a tiny little bit. Rolled-off highs, and a reduction in overall dynamics.

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Oh right, the CA forum...I don't believe anything of what's written there and I'm still eagerly awaiting a Schitt Wyrd/Regen shoot-out if anyone could make it happen please.

leeperry said:

   
Oh right, the CA forum...I don't believe anything of what's written there and I'm still eagerly awaiting a Schitt Wyrd/Regen shoot-out if anyone could make it happen please.

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Hi Lee:
 
Sorry to hear you don't like the CA forum.  There are some smart and thoughtful people over there who have been pursing hifi for many decades.  Both myself and my friend/engineer partner John Swenson hand out there mostly.  And some fairly groundbreaking stuff goes on over there--both around hardware and software.  It is not much of a headphone site though.
 
As to a shoot-out between the Schitt Wyrd and UpTone REGEN, would you like to do that yourself?  I have a Wyrd I could loan you along with a REGEN, and you could then hear and report about the differences yourself.  If you are interested, drop me a message via the contact form at our web site (UpToneAudio.com).
 
Thanks and regards,
 
Alex C.

I have tried the Wyrd in the past and it did not help with any of my IFI products and in fact it sounded slightly worst. I returned it. The REGEN may have a better chance at this point.

superdad said:

  Hi Lee:
 
Sorry to hear you don't like the CA forum.  There are some smart and thoughtful people over there who have been pursing hifi for many decades.  Both myself and my friend/engineer partner John Swenson hand out there mostly.  And some fairly groundbreaking stuff goes on over there--both around hardware and software.  It is not much of a headphone site though.
 
As to a shoot-out between the Schitt Wyrd and UpTone REGEN, would you like to do that yourself?  I have a Wyrd I could loan you along with a REGEN, and you could then hear and report about the differences yourself.  If you are interested, drop me a message via the contact form at our web site (UpToneAudio.com).

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Hi Alex,
 
Good to read that you are a MOT and also very responsive to forum goers chitchatting, thanks a lot for the offer.
 
Truth is I already run a combination of Schiit Wyrd, a vastly pimped USB2 computer controller card with a 20ppm clock, linear low-noise VR's and low ESR OScon caps together with a triple shielded USB cable and yeah, each of those has drastically improved SQ.
 
I'd gladly take you up on the offer but in order to make the comparison fair I guess I should feed a proper 6-8V linear PSU and I don't have anything like that here. I'm also not too keen on trying the Teradak PSU as I briefly owned one in the past, wasn't impressed by SQ and there are reports of it overheating......I don't trust made-in-a-garage non-CE compliant AC appliances anyway.
 
A friend of mine who runs the exact same USB rig as mine feeding his R2R DAC might have one, I'll check with him. He's located in the US so this would also make things more convenient for you I think and being the same OCD'ed audiophool that I am he'll more than likely bite to your offer
 
Well, it's just that the FOTM effect seems very strong on CA and every new tweak would be so much awesomer than the previous one(even this one hah!), the new toy syndrom does affect judgment I'll give you that....and as you said, many ppl would appear to be using loudspeakers and without a proper DRC there is no better or worse, only "different" as a good DRC should allow going from this to that, providing an as flat as possible frequency response allowing proper comparisons of audio tweaks. It's the same story as coax transports really, the standard is so broken that there is no better or worse but only different, link courtesy of Currawong: http://lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/TRANSPORT/CD_transport_DIY.html
 
Long story short, it would great if you could make a new rev that would provide a proper linear PSU of its own, I think the legendary TREAD LM317 PSU came with ridiculous ripple specs and I'd love to have that in Regen 

Hello Lee,
 
I am Karin of SBooster and I am sorry to read that the SBooster Single Unit did not work on your Teddy Pardo and SB Touch.
 
This SBooster SU is a passive device which works fine for upgrading a SMPS and some LPSs. It is developed to reduce the output noise of noisy PSUs.
 
The SBooster SU is not compatible with the Teddy Pardo, because the input impedance of the SBooster SU is too low for the Teddy Pardo, which results in instability of this LPS. And of course the well designed and manufactured Teddy Pardo products are not that noisy, I believe.
 
It is a pity that you did not contact us on this matter in the past. For then we (or our dealer) would have been able to clarify this to you and we could have found a solution, E.g. to have you return the product for a refund.
 
Regarding powering the Uptone Regen or upgrading it, at this moment we offer the following possibilities:

• The SBooster Single Unit for the Regen as the most economic option;
• The SBooster Ultra for the Regen as medium priced option;
• Or our new BOTW P&P ECO 5-6V to replace the PSU as more expensive option.

 
Options 1 & 2 are add-ons for the stock supplied Meanwell SMPS. Option 3 replaces the Meanwell completely.
 
Mr Al Jones has checked all these options. You can check his findings on CA.
 
A small note on the BOTW P&P ECO audio upgrade power supply: It is more than "just another LPS". It has the following extras:

1. a dual stage mains filter with an earthline choke
2. static shielded audio grade transformer
3. anti-oscillation system to prevent oscillation of the transformer
4. innovative electronic design for getting 50% more power out of used electronics
5. 100% galvanic isolation between the AC-input and the DC-output
6. “Split-current” technique, which makes the current extremely fast
7. and of course the SBooster technique at the end of the power cable

 
Due to our bi-directional mains filter the BOTW P&P ECO does not pollute the mains. Also this audio upgrade has the following certifications: CE-EMC, CE-LVD, GS, cTUVus, PSB, FCC.
 
If you want to check (one of) these options for yourself, please drop me a message.
 
Regards,
Karin

My latest "transportable" rig:
 

 
iPad 3 > CCK > Supra USB 0.7m > UpTone Audio USB Regen powered by 9V Anker Astro Pro LiPo battery > Oppo HA-2 > Sennheiser HD 800
 
There's room for improvement with the USB A -to- USB Micro B cable that connects the USB Regen to the OPPO HA-2  
 
It sounds great at the moment, but it goes against the consensus that you want this connection to be as short as possible. With the USB Regen having "washed" the bits, why get them dirty again?  
 
I've ordered a "solid" adapter and a short cable that looks promising, in case the solid adapter puts to much stress on the connections by nature of the Oppo HA-2 being thinner than the USB Regen.  Then again, I could always elevate the HA-2 with some kind of a shim beneath it, I suppose.
 
I'll be testing both of them to make sure their shields are connected at both ends.
 
The 9V Anker battery pack is right at the maximum voltage recommended by UpTone for powering the USB Regen when the DAC/amp (or DAC) is USB-powered.  The Oppo HA-2 will automatically attempt to recharge its internal battery if it can pull enough amps at 5V from the source, so the USB Regen is most likely delivering the full 500 mA allowed by the USB 2.0 convention.  This translates to the voltage regulator inside the Regen running pretty hot - the very reason why it's preferable to keep the Regen's supply voltage closer to the minimum permissible 6V when connecting to a USB-powered DAC or DAC/amp. 
 
The USB Regen's case is aluminum, of course, which certainly helps, but after about 30 minutes of play, I used a laser thermometer, measuring these temperatures:
 
  71.5 F -  ambient (table top) 
102.3 F -  top center of USB Regen case
 
On seeing this (and feeling the top of the case), I went to my parts box and pulled out this aluminum heat sink - that fits perfectly between the raised ribs of the USB Regen case, making good contact with the top of the case:
 

 
 
Thirty minutes later, with the rig still playing, the ambient temperature was still 71.5 F, but on removing the heat sink and quickly measuring the top of the USB Regen again, it's running much cooler, at 89.5 F, a drop of 12.8 degrees from 102.3 F. I see no reason not to use this heat sink all the time with the USB Regen.
 
Meanwhile, this "transportable" rig almost has me wondering why I need a desktop rig.
 
With everything running on battery power, there's no concern for conditioning or filtering AC power. The iPad 3 with CCK is dead quiet compared to either of my laptops and, as I've previously reported in the Oppo HA-2 thread, I really love the way the HA-2's ES9018-K2M DAC and seemingly insufficient 30mW into 300-Ohm amp section (used with the Low Gain setting) sound when driving the HD800.  
 
Having endured about 14 months of love/hate relationship with the HD800 after first getting it, while trying numerous combinations of DAC and amp, I finally landed on using the Metrum Acoustics Octave MkII (NOS DAC) with the Metrum Aurix (zero-feedback amp) - to escape the brittle edginess that the HD800 had conveyed with the oversampling DACs and high-feedback amps that I had tried beforehand.
 
So, how is it that the Oppo HA-2's ovesampling DAC and Class AB amp (which most likely uses feedback) is so satisfying with the HD800?  I really think it's the lack of "sufficient" power that's slowing down the HD800, softening it just a touch, but the thing to understand here is that the bass frequencies, which require more power to control, are affected by the lack of power moreso than the treble - where I'm hearing only a very slight loss of detail.  Put it this way - the loss of detail in the treble and mids is so slight, I can still very readily detect the absence of the USB Regen if I remove it from the chain.
 
But down in the bass region, there's a wooliness (inversely proportional to frequency) that actually enhances the apparent bass energy of the HD800, without any significant loss of texture or detail.  Woolliness is almost too strong a word, but again, I think it's precisely because the Oppo HA-2 is under-powering the HD800 that the bass energy is very nicely enhanced, and I'm not using the Bass+ feature of the HA-2. This rig in no way colors or hinders the HD800, as do so many other "solutions" I've heard. I suspect that anyone who hears this rig would agree the HD800 is almost at its best with the traits for which it is most admired, with the exception of bass texture. The dynamics are amazing considering the 30mW into 300-Ohm rating and I'm operating the volume control at about 90% on Low Gain and the fatigue so often associated with the HD800 is completely absent.  On High Gain, the noise floor comes up a bit, so I much prefer the blackness of Low Gain.
 
In terms of bang-for-the-buck, the USB Regen is bringing more to the table (literally) than anything else pictured above, but even independent of price, the USB Regen continues to command an appreciation of its capabilities. There's nothing quite like pulling it out of the chain after even just a couple of weeks of use to feel its absence.  "Quick!  Plug it back in!"   
 

 
Mike

Cool set-up Mike!  Makes me want to pull out my Apple camera connection kit again and give it a go.  What is cool is that the REGEN, being a powered hub, overcomes the problem of the iPad/iOS complaining that every DAC is drawing to much power and denying the connection.
 
Yes, a solid adapter--or perhaps another Supra cable (I think they offer them with a micro 'B' plug)--on the output side of the REGEN will improve things a lot.  You are loosing the impedance match ad some of the signal integrity gain of the REGEN by running the cable pictured.
 
Really glad you are having so much fun and experimenting with your gear.  We are proud that you are making the REGEN an integral part of it.
 
Thanks and regards,
 
--Alex C.
 
P.S.  A nice review (with some in-depth tech details about USB issues and the REGEN that we provided) hits AudioStream.com tomorrow.

Thanks Superdad,
 
It will be fun to see what the "professional" reviewers have to say, given the nearly unanimous thumbs up the USB Regen has enjoyed from "amateurs."   
 
Mike

zilch0md said:

  Thanks Superdad,
 
It will be fun to see what the "professional" reviewers have to say, given the nearly unanimous thumbs up the USB Regen has enjoyed from "amateurs."   

 
Mike

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Hey, their ears are no more "golden" then the rest of ours.  They just often get loaned much more expensive gear to play with.  

Interesting little device. Would that make the use of a SoTM USB Card irellevant?
 
Thanks

More like a nice addition to the SoTM.

REGEN review in Audiostream is up:
 
http://www.audiostream.com/content/uptone-audio-usb-regen#61GxkxU42MWyZpE7.97

mjock3 said:

More like a nice addition to the SoTM.

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But if the regen takes the usb signal and outputs a new and cleaner usb signal to the dac, then it shouldn't matter if the original usb signal comes out from the mobo or the SoTM card, since its redone anyway, no?

batou069 said:

  But if the regen takes the usb signal and outputs a new and cleaner usb signal to the dac, then it shouldn't matter if the original usb signal comes out from the mobo or the SoTM card, since its redone anyway, no?

Click to expand...

Upstream improvements still help some because the REGEN's own PHY chip is still subject to variances in signal integrity of what it's fed.  (Some people are using 2 REGENs in series so that the DAC-conected one gets a higher quality signal itself.)  There is full explanation of the USB issue and how the REGEN works at the beginning of the Audiostream review.  They were kind enough to publish the entire simplified version of our "white paper" on the subject.  Here is an excerpted paragraph relevant to your question (but you need to read the whole piece for definitions of some terms:
 
"Does the REGEN eliminate the need for a good USB cable and other computer optimizations?:
No. The hub chip inside the REGEN has its own PHYs and protocol engine, which themselves generate packet noise on ITS power and ground planes. So the REGEN itself is also sensitive to the SI of the signal fed to it, which is why good USB cables and specialty USB host boards feeding it still make a difference—maybe just not as much. A lot of time was spent on the design and board layout to minimize this packet noise but it is still there. The impedance of the "Power Delivery Network" (PDN) over a broad range of frequencies determines the amplitude of the packet noise produced by the hub chip. The REGEN’s frequency optimized PDN is what makes it such a good sounding source."