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Importance of clocking

There is a lot of talk that external clocks because of the distance to the processor don‘t work. This is the opposite of my experience. While I had used an external Antelope rubidium clock,on my Etherregen and Zodiac Platinum Dac, I have now added a Lhy Audio UIP clocked by the same Antelope Clock to reclock the USB stream emanating from the InnuOS Zenith MkIII. The resultant increase in soundstage depth, attack an decay and overall transparency isn‘t subtle. While there seems to be lots of focus on cables, accurate clocking throughout the chain seems still deemed unnecessary. I don‘t understand InnuOS‘ selling separate reclockers for USB and Ethernet without synchronising Ethernet input, DAC conversion and USB output.

antigrunge2
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kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,426 posts
 

AFAIK there is no error correction with asynchronous USB.  Frames contain checksum (CRC field), but I’m not sure if computer resends the frame.  In plain USB transfers device on receiving end sends back “negative acknowledge” (NAK) and frame is resent.  

Asynchronous USB is reclocker.  Placing another reclocker in front of reclocker won’t do anything.   Perhaps these devices were initially intended for synchronous or adaptive audio USB.  Asynchronous USB came later.  Another benefit is electrical isolation from noisy computer.  Reducing electrical noise injected into audio device is always good.  If your reclocker is improving sound by doing this then it is worth the money.

antigrunge2 OP
1,393 posts
 

Let‘s just say that my ears and reputable designers like Innuos, Esoteric et al disagree with you

emergingsoul
1,071 posts
 

Isn't the best place for a clock to be inside a dac, why don't dacs have better clockers?

I have to believe many do.  And if they don't buy a better dac. Adding this type of peripheral is just insane. Much better to integrate with all the wiring and crap that goes on when you have to connect a separate clocker.

kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,426 posts
 

Let‘s just say that my ears and reputable designers like Innuos, Esoteric et al disagree with you

Disagree with what?  I don’t question you can hear the difference, but I attribute it to electrical isolation that device brings and not the reclocking process itself.

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