Which USB reclocker is as good as the Innuos Phoenix USB?

Here is Antipodes company's recommendation with regard to the best output. Of course it is meant to be applied when using their own gear.

About Ethernet vs USB vs Digital Outputs

Many DAC manufacturers insist that their Ethernet input is best, and we are often asked why we favour Digital Outputs over USB. Confusion arises because in many cases the user is faced with a music server and a DAC that both support a range of possible interfaces between them. The user naturally wants to know which type of interface sounds best.

But the issue is not about alternative types of connection. It is actually about alternative solution architectures. For example, using Ethernet means that the Player (endpoint) is in the DAC; using USB means the Player is in the music server; using synchronous connections (I2S, S/PDIF & AES3) means the Async to Sync conversion and re-clocking is in the music server.

Your choice of connection shifts individual roles between the music server and the DAC. Where each role is better to be performed depends on the actual music server and the actual DAC.

Please read our Architecture page for a simple explanation of how there is no hierarchy of better/worse sounding connections, and what it really means when you decide to use one type of connection over another.

@gkr7007 thanks for the suggestion

Koso on audiophilestyle.com tested the Phoenix USB against the Ideon 3R Master time and the Denafrips Gaia.

On 3/14/2022 at 5:12 PM, Koso said:

Phoenix USB arrived today. Starting burn in. Will report my findings after one - two weeks. Also will do the comparison with another reclockers (Ideon 3R Master time and Denafrips Gaia). Stay tuned.

He chose the Phoenix over the other two.

Posted May 27

On 5/27/2022 at 8:08 PM, beautiful music said:

So are you end up letting Gaia go or am I missing thing?

Yes, that’s the plan. PhoenixUSB is doing magic in my setup.

@lordmelton

Hope this helps

MusicFidelity wrote:

Those conventional USB filters like Jitterbug and iFi tend to ‘colour’ the sound to some degree, some like the ‘analogue’ signature but I don’t. It makes the music less engaging and seems to me there’s a roll off in the highs.

Those USB Regen like Uptone ISO Regen (I’ve tried) and Holo Audio Titanis don’t seem to effect the tonal quality but takes away the ‘layer’ and let the music simply ‘breathe’ through naturally. It don’t seem to correlate very well with technical aspects. Some DAC has already built-in a high quality USB input, some even have isolation too. I think those cheaper DAC will benefit more on SQ if they use USB Regen. Below is interesting test on ISO Regen.

Check blakep too.

Please write about your SOtM USB Ultra vs I2s comparison if you have time.

@tjag The above experience  isn't definitive in streamer vs reclocker  superiority as the Chord MScaler doesn't have optimized usb board, really meant for BNC input. I bet tables turned using dac with optimized usb board.

Antipodes is actually good platform for trying various schemes, optimized for both streaming or server only.

Always keep in mind quality of usb in dac is critical to determining best scheme. Doesn't make sense to reclock prior to quality usb board clock in dac,  does for inferior dac usb.

“Yes, I read in several places that the AES sound is more natural than the USB. Although, it could be DAC dependant also as seen in the review below.

Roasty wrote:

With my Rockna, I prefer AES over i2s, and i2s over USB. i2s has sweeter highs and tighter punchier low end, but AES has a more natural and layered sound and better textured bass. USB sounded quite sharp up top but also felt kind of a "flat" presentation.

I have all three (i2s, aes, usb) hooked up to my Rockna so I can do comparisons or swap connections when I feel like it.

But with the Holo May, I prefer USB over the rest.

The AES sampling rate is on par with Coaxial and less than USB/I2s. Wouldn’t the lower sampling rate be an issue for you?

Any experience with the I2s?”

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I don't know if sampling rate capability would be an issue (for PCM recordings).

USB sounds less real than AES to me, with or without the Phoenix in my system.

I’m going to listen thru USB again with and without Phoenix, on PCM and DSD recordings.

…..sorry, no experience with I2s.