Steve, thx for your response. Just making it clear. If HDMI supports bitstream, that means it transfers a digital signal bit-by-bit, so there can be no jitter lugs whatsoever.
Not true. Jitter is ALWAYS a factor to minimize. Never zero. Any company that claims zero is dreaming.
But if it’s a properly made HDMI cable then it doesn’t affect a digital data is transfers.
Sure it does. The better the HDMI cable, the more clear and focused the picture will be.
why 18Gbps (2.0) is not enough to transfer a bitstream hi-res audio via HDMI when here can be no jitter/need for reclockers/etc.?
This is not just bandwidth, although that is important. The dielectric absorption and reflections from the fast-rising digital signal impinging on the discontinuities in the conductor crystal-lattice all cause the signal to have poor "integrity". What is important is the risetime of the signal, not the frequency of the signal. It requires a really good HDMI cable, Ethernet cable, S/PDIF cable or USB cable to maintain these risetimes and not create reflections that impact sound quality.
This is why I only use pure silver digital cables from Wireworld or Empirical Audio. It’s the difference between music and live music.
As for reclockers, these make an even bigger difference for both Home Theater Dolby Digital and for PCM audio tracks. You don't know what you are missing until you try one of these. For $150 for the iFi SPDIF iPurifier, what do you have to lose? Just return it to Amazon if it doesn't work for you. This will give you a small taste of what a reclocker can do.
Steve N.
Empirical Audio