the best, cost-no-object, music streamer?

"Is there something wrong with my setup? should i buy a master clock?

has anybody tried a master clock, how much "less jitter" does the unit do the whole music experience?"

Most DACs can be improved dramatically by adding an external USB converter with a low-jitter clock. This is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of the digital system, not the DAC.

Lower jitter will get you much better imaging, dynamics and bass tightness. Wider and deeper soundstage. The more you spend for the USB converter and associated USB and S/PDIF or I2S cables, the better the result.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Steve N.,

When you said USB converter, did you mean USB cable from A type USB (MacMini) to B ?

"From reading the posts it seems music streamer needs to be a dedicated unit like sooloos, aurender, linn etc. I've only seen and hear the sooloos. seems the presentation (demo) wasnt setup well in front of me. or probly the music was using a file that is compressed and lossy."

Not necessarily, I think there are a number of "open" streaming systems that work with multiple brand. For example, tHe Simaudio 180 streamer works with any dac and a PC, Apple or NAS with a UPnP library management system for music storage. I think PS Audio and Linn are also open, or at least partially open streaming systems.

That's great news Steve, thanks.

I'm sure there are a lot of us ripping SACDs that aren't quite ready to get rid of our DACs for DSD processing; a converter seems like an attractive interim option.

When you said USB converter, did you mean USB cable from A type USB (MacMini) to B ?

No, I'm talking about a device that takes async USB as input and outputs S/PDIF coax, AES/EBU and maybe I2S to drive a DAC. Because it is async USB protocol, it creates a new low-jitter master clock outside of the computer or server.

This is what is commonly referred to as a "USB converter".

Steve N.
Empirical Audio