Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

OK, I finally heard the Regen with Corning cable on my B7 and can say that my experience mimics this post at CompAudiophile.

DSD128 was already amazing has gone up a notch. Absolutely incredible.Ridiculous!
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Originally Posted by EuroDriver

It took only 10 seconds for our jaws to drop. We thought the SQ was superb before putting the Regen in, but the Regen's effect was even greater than our high expectations. It's one of those cases where you have to hear it to believe it

The difference the Regen made was about 1.5 times the SQ difference of going from DSD128 to DSD 256 on the Exasound with HQP doing PCM to DSD. The Lampi b7 that Geoff received last wheel seems only to go up to DSD128, but with the Regen I am hearing details, realism, texture, and fine timbre that I simply did not believe existed on well known tracks.

IMHO, the Regen and the Corning USB compliment each other very nicely, their sonic effects being different and beneficially additive.

Next week at Munich High End we will be using the Regen ( powered by my JS-2) and seeing if anyone can catch us in sound quality ;-)

May be the hype helped, but Regen is certainly one of the biggest hardware SQ upgrades I have heard in a long long time.

Hats off to John and Alex for coming up with a USB sound quality game changer for the Lampi B7. Next week we will try Regen with the Exa E22, and with an Antelope Zodiac Platinum

downstream from the Lampi were Audiopax pre, Audiopax mono blocs, and Avantgarde Duo Omegas​

I was very impressed by the Bricasti M1 at Axpona. Merrill (of Merrill Audio) has arranged a loaner and he will be brining one over mid June. I'll report my findings. That LaScala sounds lovely. Enjoy it!

Regarding the Regen. I'm not sure it would make much difference on my ODSE. I'm checking on their site to see if it has a money back guarantee. It's not expensive, but still.... I'd welcome inout from Steve on that as well, although he usually takes a summer hiatus. Not sure if he's around...

Just purchased the Bricasti. Can't imagine meaningfully better performance. Went from a JRDG Aeris which too was very good but actually a little over detailed(bright) for my tastes. I had not expected that. It's still a great unit though. Bricasti just a bit warmer with less etch. Very musical.

It would be fun to have several of these top DACs all together for comparison at the same time. I suspect the result would be that the performance of most of these "flagship" DACs would end up more a matter of being "somewhat different but not meaningfully better," although some may mate with certain equipment better.

Listening to the LaScala here today and it may be complemented a bit better through the Atsahs, which seem to have an iron grip on the lower registers. The LaScala has tons of drive and the music is clear, full-toned and as loud as you want it without any sign of strain. Through the SMc DNA-2 LAE, it may display a bit better dimensionality but it is beautiful sounding through both amps and more of the "total package" when played through the Atsahs, because of their grip on the bass. The distributer suggests trying something other than the stock power cord, which I will do later today or tomorrow.

The Hex seems to sound a little better through the SMc amp. I would really like to hear the Bricasti and the ODSE but like 4425 says,

Can't imagine meaningfully better performance,

at least through my system.

I will have the Pavane through here in a few weeks so that should be interesting too.

Matt, the Regen is designed to improve all USB, so most likely. There are owners of VERY high end DAC's that have reported a noticeable and worthwhile improvement when using the Regen. Though the last time I looked Uptone Audio does not have a money back on its web site I believe if you ask Alex he will work something out for you on the Regen.