![]() I fully anticipate that I’ll confirm that “bits are bits” once again (just like the CD Illumination tweak). And if the bits are the same, then the DAC will output the same music fidelity. If these two streams cancel each other out when the polarity of one is reversed, then it’s clear that the REGEN did nothing to change the bits. I also plan to capture the digital stream out of the REGEN and compare it to the same piece of music sent directly from the server to the recorder. We’ll be able to play some of my files and listen to the music via the REGEN and without it. The plan is to route the signal from the music server through two identical USB cables to two identical Benchmark DAC2 units, take the outputs to the XLR switch and then to my speakers. Least I be challenged on the procedure or technical aspects of the evaluation, I’m open to any and all suggestions about the testing. He wrote, “I will bring the REGEN, Benchmark DAC2, 2 identical USB cables, XLR switch, 3 pair Mogami balanced interconnects, and laptop music server. On Monday, Russ is going to bring it to the studio. One of his friends is going to lend him a relatively new REGEN box for a few days. Thanks to the kindness of one of my friends at the Los Angeles And Orange County Audiophile Society, we’re going to get the chance to check out whether the REGEN is the real deal or just another audiophile “accessory”. When asked whether the REGEN could accomplish what its designer claims, he wrote, “If this thing works, there is something wrong with your DAC!” I’m willing to accept that a poorly designed DAC might benefit from the REGEN, but certainly not a high-end piece like the Benchmark DAC 2. The head designer of the Benchmark DAC2 HGC offered his thoiughts in an email some weeks ago. But is the REGEN going to make a difference in a truly high-end system? No, it won’t. Can all of these customers be wrong about the perceived changes they hear? Probably not. They’ve sold thousands of them at $175 each and the testimonials offered by the owners of these boxes are very enthusiastic. The REGEN is a very successful product for Uptone Audio. I do and so do many brilliant engineer/designers. The designer of the REGEN doesn’t believe that “bits are bits”. Click here to read their product description and claims of improved quality. There is a lot more information on the Uptone Audio website. If you are familiar with the variations in sound quality that come from different computer configurations, USB cables, and power supplies (no, “bits are bits” really does not apply when pursuing the audio summit), then you will immediately recognize the often dramatic effect that the REGEN can have on the connection you feel with the music.” Importantly, it does so with ideal impedance matching-right at the input of your DAC. It accomplishes this by combining a carefully chosen USB hub chip with an ultra low-noise regulator and low-jitter clock. “The USB REGEN takes the digital audio stream from your computer or other music streaming device, and generates a completely new USB data signal to feed to your DAC. Here’s how the popular device is described on the Uptone Audio website: The device in question is called the REGEN. Specifically, we debated the whole “bits are bits” notion and the value of “regenerating” those bits as they proceed from a digital source to a high quality DAC like the Benchmark DAC2 HGC. ![]() A few weeks ago, Michael Lavorgna at Audiostream and I had a polite debate about the merits of certain audiophile tweaks.
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