One DAC to Rule it All

From my medium technical understanding, the main concern with digital replay is jitter, which is largely a function of timing, followed distantly by sample rates.

A large culprit in jitter is a mismatch or misfit in the clock or something effecting timing, from hardware limitations to design issues to noise from various power sources.

Every truly resolving system I’ve heard had separate, but matched, streamer and ;DAC in a different box with an external or otherwise isolated clock.

Nagra, Lumin, Esoteric would be what I’d be looking at, probably Esoteric for all components.

The only thing I know is that, under certain circumstances, multiple ADC and DAC conversions do not substantially degrade the sound.  I heard a track on a test CD (a Jazz sampler/test signal CD by Chesky Records) that was of a sample of music that had been converted back and forth a hundred times, and the same track that had been converted only once.  I don't think I could reliably tell the difference.  

I don't expect the additional conversion of the OKTO to hurt the sound much, but, then again I don't see how it would help to take a digital signal and convert it to analogue then have an ADC convert it back to digital for processing in the DBX.

That's what I was thinking. Why use the OKTO at all if the DBX can accept an AES/EBU signal from my streamer. That way I will only have one conversion, but I will have to use the 32 bit volume control in my Auralic G1 instead of my Benchmark HP4 preamp. It seems like I will be getting rid of a few pieces of equipment if this works out.

That’s is an interesting question.

the double digital part, I’m guessing could go either way, but I have found for the most part, the simpler the system, the fewer cables, the fewer power supplies the better the sound.

 In the end, your ears will always determine what the best sound is for you.

All the best.

@koestner

I agree that only you will be able to tell if you prefer the sound of the DBX (as a DAC) or your OKTO. I’d try it without the OKTO and perhaps live with that for a few weeks or months.

As I recall, @mijostyn has posted about this in the past and he is a long time user of DSP “preamps” for crossover and bass/room correction. He’s even supporting a very nice turntable with this solution, perhaps he’ll weigh in on this.

I’m still using an analog crossover for subs, however, I am intrigued by the capabilities of digital solutions. And I think they are only going to get better.