msb Ilink vs. wadia 170i ipd docks

Not to change the subject but if you want a really good ipod player, check out the krell kid it rocks. The kid has taken the place of my bel canto cd-2 player in my paradigm system.

I'm also very interested to see the jitter figure which is quoted by Wadia. I have no doubt that it will be significantly higher than the MSB as otherwise I would not have expected the Monarchy DIP jitter reduction box would have had such an impact. For the Wadia, I've seen one review in a UK publication (Hi-Fi News, I think) publish a figure of 115ps and other references online stating jitter in the realm of 3000ps - will be interested to see the manufacturer figure. I would prefer to see an independent measurement but not sure if this is likely.

Regardless, a low jitter figure doesn't guarantee better sound, it is just one of a number of factors and the bottom line is that if you have a DAC that can reclock the signal and eliminate most of the jitter, this is an even less significant factor. So just like most hi-fi, it comes down, not to measurements, but to our subjective listening preferences. As long as we're enjoying what we've got we can stop thinking about upgrades for a while and enjoy the music.

Thanks Justin for going to the effort to get the information from Wadia - much appreciated.

Hens,

You make an excellent point. The Wadia does re-clock the signal. How could two different publishers come up with different measurements that are so different? 115ps is very low and 3000ps is very high. That's really weird.

Hens when you import your albums are you importing them as WAV files with 48,000kBS sampling rate?

The Lector DAC is one of the finest on the market. It's no joke that it competes with the Burmeister which is $65,000. So obviously the re clocking in there is superb because my iTouch sounds almost as good as my transport.

Hopefully I will have the manufacturers data today. Once I do I will post it.

Just to add some salt grains here - I had an audio-fools meeting last night (we call each other that way - no offense) and played for about 1 hour music thru the iPOD/Wadia/Reimyo set-up I have with my new Gryphon amps - No one ver noticed I was playing thru the iPOD until one "catched-me" playing with the remote control of the Wadia.

We listened to far more music than the all-known-boring 5 CD list we used to play over and over - it is indeed a great product.

>> How could two different publishers come up with
>> different measurements that are so different? 115ps is
>> very low and 3000ps is very high. That's really weird.

Nrostov, it's not so weird afterall - jitter is a difficult measurement to make. The setup has to be carefully done so that you are not measuring the equipment by mistake. If the person taking the measurement is not experience there could be a host of pilot errors. Altho JA of Stereophile often gets bashed on AA for his measurements, he does state the perils of making jitter measurements in the vignets of the articles. If you have a Stereophile issue that covers a CDP review his comments on this matter might be published. Most of the time people make jitter measurements using a 1KHz tone - it's much harder with program material.
Also, what units is the jitter measurement - RMS jitter? pk-pk jitter?