@curiousjim Yes, but it’s not just the reclocking but also the ability to take advantage of your DAC’s superior i2S input with an HDMI cable, so it’s really like two benefits in one. On my Musician Pegasus DAC, which has a strong resemblance to the Pontus ll as they come from the same factory, the improvement with the Iris was not small.
i2S clock question
So, I’ve recently added a Denafrips Iris DDC to be able to feed my Musician Pegasus R2R DAC via its i2S input via its HDMI i2S input, and compared to feeding it directly from an SPDIF or USB input the positive results are significant and very apparent. While I’m aware of the separate internal paths of the i2S connection versus other connections and despite many searches, I can’t find a definitive answer as to how the clocking works in the end. I know the Iris re-clocks the data and sends it via a separate line within the HDMI connection to my DAC, but I can’t find a clear answer as to how the re-clocking of the DDC works in conjunction with my DAC. Does the re-clocking of the DDC override the re-clocking of my DAC with an i2S connection, or does it just feed my DAC a cleaner signal that allows my DAC to work better and more efficiently given its own re-clocking abilities? Am I subject to the re-clocking of my DDC alone or is it a combo of my DAC and the DDC working together with an i2S connection? Thanks for any thoughts and experience!
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I’m thinking the next time a used one comes up, I’m gonna snatch it up. Might even buck up for one of those Audioquest HDMI cables. They have a couple that are less than $100. I know that RCA to USB made a big difference and l’m definitely interested to hear what i2s does. Oh, what power cord are you using with the Iris? |
I would advise you take a quick scan of the posts at audiophile style regarding clocking the Iris and Terminator. I faintly remember a thread running there that concluded the Terminator’s clock was at a higher level and basically saw no improvement when paired with the Iris. Not for sure- but it costs nothing to check. |
@curiousjim et al- I seem to have mistaken the reference to the Iris in my previous post- the thread mentions a device called a “Gaia”. Either way the subject of the discussion “jitter/noise” testing is interesting. I believe this thread was created by the same person who made the popular MQA Myth video seen on You Tube. |
@curiousjim So,I think the Musician Pisces and Leo provide greater value than the Denafrips Iris or Hermes. I bought a used Iris for what would be the same price for a new Pisces. Also, I’m not convinced paying up for an HDMI cable is worth it for i2S. Length may be as important as quality, and I’m using this cheap Monoprice 6” HDMI cable and am getting excellent results. At some point I might upgrade to a DH Labs HDMI cable, but I’m in no rush given what I’m hearing, and I’ve heard several others state they don’t get big improvements by upgrading their HDMI cable for i2S. Just my $0.02 FWIW. I’m currently using the stock power cord with the Iris, but when I upgrade I’ll use the Cullen Crossover PC. Hope this helps. |
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