DAC's : The missing feature: Signal quality

Yep,  Source programming and delivery can be a problem with some media.

Right? Like with streaming. Would be nice to know

Jitter detection and then committing to mathematical transforms of measurement is a relatively complicated affair.

Last time I did that, it required the use of an AP SYS2722 measurement system, in a fit of clock designing...

$20k or thereabouts.


https://www.ap.com/analyzers-accessories/2700-series/

Erik: “To put this another way, most of us have no way to tell if a digital source is very poor, mediocre, or great. I'd like a little gadget that could tell me.“

Solution:  👂x 2

Isn't Schiit's implementation of the "buy better gear" LED something like what you're asking for? It's on Gumby and Yggy, not sure about other DACs from them. I believe it has something to do with not being able to reliably lock onto the clock from the source to let AdaptiClock do its thing. 

To wit, I have an Yggy "B" bought recently and from my CD player via AES/EBU, it has never lit up. But from my PC, via 3M coax digital, it has lit up once that I recall, on a Redbook FLAC album. Doesn't surprise me at all, the sound card in the PC was just a cheapy to get a coax S/PDIF out which unfortunately isn't all that common and optical of that size run is going to be sketchy at best at 24/96 or above. But anywho, I think that's at least a rough approximation of what you're thinking about. It doesn't display any sort of "this is how far off you are" info, just a light on the front of the unit.

If it sounds good, it is.I use a retro rotel RDP 980 and it does make a difference.