Ron’s New System

[Mike Lavigne]

Hi Mike:
Are you specifically referring to our UpTone Audio EtherREGEN?
I ask because:
a) Since the 2015 introduction of our USB REGEN (the pioneering first device to use a USB hub chip, good clock, and fine regulators), the name “REGEN” has become a bit like “Kleenex” is for tissues.

b) I’m puzzled as to your saying you “owned at least 3 EtherREGEN products…” Why would you have three of the same model? (It has not changed and is still the ONLY network switch in the world that puts Ethernet signals through active-differential digital isolators and differential ultra-low-jitter reclocking flip-flops in a separate data and power domain.)

c) Our order records show that, of the 3,500 EtherREGENs sold since December 2019, we never shipped one to you. I do however see that you purchased 2 units of our original USB REGEN—in August and September of 2015, as well as our choke-filtered, dual-output, 5-7.4 amp JS-2 linear power supply, also in September of 2015. But those are vastly different products than our highly advanced EtherREGEN.

By the way, I see from your signature link to your system that you do use the expensive Nordost QNET switch. I hope you enjoy that.
Someone finally sent me a photo of its PCB (I never understood why some audio manufacturers are afraid to show and explain the technical aspects of their products), but sadly, other than its novel round shape it is a completely conventional Ethernet switch design. Yet that seems to be the norm these days…

Here’s what goes into our baby. The board you see—parts and assembly—costs us over $300 each. But we still change just $680–in a case and with 2-year warranty and personal support.
Let me know if you’d like to try one sometime.
Cheers,
—Alex C.

View attachment 134383

i had three of these;

USB REGEN

The REGEN's primary function is to generate a completely new USB data signal from a carefully chosen USB hub chip running from an ultra low-noise regulator and low-jitter clock—which it does with ideal impedance matching and right at the input of your DAC. Its secondary function is that it...

uptoneaudio.com

my apologies to you for that error. it's been 6-7 years ago. will edit my post to reflect that difference. thank you for the kind offer to try your switch, i may take you up on it.

best regards,

Mike

 

[treitz3]

To both Mike and Ron - My observations on the EtherREGEN were favorable when I first got it. Then I started to use, what I consider to be its best attribute, beyond its untouched performance. That being the 10 MHz clock input. After an AfterDark clock, I moved on to a Mutec REF 10 SE 120 Master clock. I was so impressed with what that combo did to my streaming rig, I decided to move up my physical digital game to an Esoteric P-02, using the same master clock for it.

Had it not been for the ER? I wouldn't be where I am at along my own personal audio journey.

The internal clock that resides in the ER is well regarded but when you are able to use that 10MHz clock input and go external? This ups the game and in a rather dramatic way. It's like the ER is a gateway drug. One that I am so happy I tried out. FWIW.

I am one of those folks who are anxiously but patiently awaiting the ERv2, which will hopefully be available later on this year.

Tom

 

[Ron Resnick]

Air Tight Opus 1 Reference cartridge is inbound to Audio Café!

Prior to ordering the cartridge I discussed with Air Tight's USA distributor, Axiss Audio -- now owned by Cliff Duffey, who is assisted by T.J. Goldsby who is Head of Sales and Marketing -- that the cartridge had to pass a gauntlet of analysis and measurement benchmarks by J.R. Boisclair of WAM Engineering as a condition of me keeping the cartridge. Air Tight and Axiss were up to the challenge! So I proceeded to order the cartridge.

The cartridge passed all of J.R.'s tests and was within J.R.'s ranges of acceptable tolerance in every parameter!

I have heard the Opus 1 in numerous systems at both dealer showrooms and at friends' houses. I have liked the sound of every system of which the Opus 1 was a part.

The Opus 1 will be installed on my Reed 5T.

 

[PeterA]

Congratulations Ron on the opus. I had one in my system for a while and thought it was excellent. Will JR be coming back to do the installation?

 

[Ron Resnick]

Congratulations Ron on the opus. I had one in my system for a while and thought it was excellent. Will JR be coming back to do the installation?

Thank you!

Yes, I think J.R. will be coming back to do the installation.

 

[cjfrbw]

During Mike's visit he recorded a video tour of Audio Café:

Very nice. Probably the best vid to date that I have seen of the room(s) and the firepower. Interesting the main listening area looks a bit smaller than I had envisaged, at least from his vid. OCD Mikey does a good tour.

 

[tima]

Very nice. Probably the best vid to date that I have seen of the room(s) and the firepower. Interesting the main listening area looks a bit smaller than I had envisaged, at least from his vid. OCD Mikey does a good tour.

He certainly was chipper. I agree that the listening room seemed smaller than I imagined. And it was interesting to see a system with media on two floors across three (?) rooms. I'd heard of this fellow as mentioned on WBF. The 'tour' was rather glossy and I was surprised he did not know anything vinyl. Was it Audio Cafe or Ron's System -- could have been clearer about what was what.

 

[Ron Resnick]

The listening room is 20 feet wide by 24.5 feet long. Around 1/3 of the ceiling is at 9 feet and 2/3 of the ceiling is at 14.5 feet. I wish the room were 5 feet longer and a couple of feet wider, and didn't have glass walls on two sides. It was an existing room, not a custom built room. I sacrificed 5 inches of length to achieve a flat front wall (if I had to look at a wall pop out for the rest of my life I would've convinced myself that it was screwing up the sound-staging from the front wall reflection of the back-wave), and 7 inches of width to achieve identically structured sidewalls.

The listening room contains the speakers, the amplifiers, and the listening chair and couch and tables. The adjacent room hosts the equipment along the rear wall, opposite Tinka's home theater.

The adjacent room affords access to the loft staircase at the top of which is the record and tape storage cabinet mounted to the wall. I also have the record cleaning machine and accessories up there, as well as a desk and file cabinets and all of the video recording equipment.

Altogether the three rooms comprise sort of the "entertainment wing" of the house.

There also is a small closet dedicated to loads of miscellaneous audio stuff (boxes of NOS tubes, rulers, levels, parts, footers, adapters, etc.) just outside the listening room in the hallway. This might be the most valuable space in the whole set-up!

 

[cjfrbw]

A wall flared from the bottom instead of flat would probably have been enhancing, a kind of quasi amphitheater effect.

 

[Audiohertz2]

I just enjoyed with Mike Powell (OCD HiFi Guy) and his lovely and delightful girlfriend, Jo, a fun four days at my house!

I learned from several discussions at audio shows, and especially from this week together, that, in addition to being very knowledgeable about and experienced with audio, Mike is an extremely nice and totally great guy! In person he is easy-going and just a joy to be around!

During Mike's visit he recorded a video tour of Audio Café:

Yea , OCD is hilarious .....!

 

[Ron Resnick]

 

[gleeds]

Yea , OCD is hilarious .....

Ron, you look like a happy warrior in that photo. Nice!

 

[Lagonda]

Air Tight Opus 1 Reference cartridge is inbound to Audio Café!

Prior to ordering the cartridge I discussed with Air Tight's USA distributor, Axiss Audio -- now owned by Cliff Duffey, who is assisted by T.J. Goldsby who is Head of Sales and Marketing -- that the cartridge had to pass a gauntlet of analysis and measurement benchmarks by J.R. Boisclair of WAM Engineering as a condition of me keeping the cartridge. Air Tight and Axiss were up to the challenge! So I proceeded to order the cartridge.

The cartridge passed all of J.R.'s tests and was within J.R.'s ranges of acceptable tolerance in every parameter!

I have heard the Opus 1 in numerous systems at both dealer showrooms and at friends' houses. I have liked the sound of every system of which the Opus 1 was a part.

The Opus 1 will be installed on my Reed 5T.

Didn't you have a few different cartridges Ron ? Why not install one while you wait for the Opus ? How can you live without vinyl ? SET amp looks very cool !

 

[Ron Resnick]

How can you live without vinyl ?

I have tape. (And the digital is not bad these days.)

 

[Ron Resnick]

The Uptone Audio EtherRegen is installed!

 

[Ron Resnick]

 

[Superdad]

The Uptone Audio EtherRegen is installed!

That’s great Ron! But honestly we have never made any claims about combating dust mites, lice, or bad juju.
That will come with our next product.

 

[Ron Resnick]

That’s great Ron! But honestly we have never made any claims about combating dust mites, lice, or bad juju.

Oh! Sorry I got carried away!

It just seems like an all-purpose cleaner!

 

[Ron Resnick]

I have spent a bit of time over the last few days considering the purchase of a Studer C37 reconditioned by Tim de Paravicini. After a brief consult with MikeL and a lengthy consult with my Studer technician I have decided against it.

But it was fun to contemplate!

 

[bonzo75]

I have spent a bit of time over the last few days considering the purchase of a Studer C37 reconditioned by Tim de Paravicini. After a brief consult with MikeL and a lengthy consult with my Studer technician I have decided against it.

But it was fun to contemplate!

Why did you ask me then, for the record I said no too.