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How can I tell if I need a better clock for my DAC?

I was interested in the responses to a related post by leemaze this week, saying that a Synchro Mesh was a good way to improve a DAC with subpar jitter.  I have a Cambridge CXU, with an inboard DAC; how could I determine how much jitter it has? 
128x128cheeg
headphonedreams
527 posts
 
Here's an article that touches om the subject even though ge talks more about usb inputs. He also has a list of components he recomends, including dacs.
https://darko.audio/2013/07/when-should-you-use-an-external-usb-spdif-converter/

I suspect a lot of new dacs sound better than your Cambridge but it doesn't have to do with just jitter.
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
Thanks, everyone, for your inputs. Unfortunately, much of what was said went over my head....

You’re welcome. Honestly I think you may be over thinking this. Go with whatever your monetary budget allows, your personal listening impressions, manufacturer reputation and other customer testimonials. After all that then consider jitter and other technical measurements. Just my recommendation.
melm
1,074 posts
 
Here is a video I often recommend with a simple explanation of what can go wrong with a digital signal fed into a DAC. It includes the topic of jitter. While discussing the signal passing into the DAC, its principles can also apply to the signal within the DAC unit.  Please let us know if this helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grzoqEb2KMk&t=2s
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Proper spdif connection between transport and dac should be made using 75ohm bnc.
rca is not true 75ohm and this can also introduce jitter.

George - You are dead right.  Just buying a 75 ohm cable with BNC's does not guarantee that the BNC connectors are 75 ohms either, particularly from Marketertek.  I have 75 ohms cables with 50 ohm BNC on the ends from Marketertek.

Also, BNC to RCA adapters should be 75 ohms as well.

Here are some cable jitter measurements, including some from Markertek:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=154425.0

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

cheeg's avatar
cheeg OP
244 posts
 
I suspect a lot of new dacs sound better than your Cambridge but it doesn't have to do with just jitter.
Thanks for the additional references on dacs -- that's a good start!  As for the quoted comment, @headphonedreams may be right about that, but it leads to a more basic question.  By my standards, the Cambridge is a fairly expensive (and well-reviewed) unit, but the sound it gives to a Redbook CD doesn't compete with that of my more modest phono (Technics SL-D2 with a Nagoka MP-110).  Can I expect to get comparable sound quality with a CD player and DAC, without spending well over $1000, or is this the unavoidable result of the 44/16 format?


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