Esoteric P03 D03 owners: To clock or not to clock

Hi Eli,
When you upsample redbook to DSD, Esoteric does recommend setting the external clock to 176.4. I also prefer the sound this way as well so this is how I have it set.

On top of my transport is something that I purchased from Bright Star Audio about 5 years ago - not sure what its called but its very dense and I would guess it weighs in the area of 8 - 10 pounds. I've always used this on top of my CDP or now my transport. To be honest, I couldn't tell you if it improves the sound or not. What I do find that does make a nice improvement under the P03 is a vibration isolation platform.

Feel free to email with any questions about the room, etc.

For RBCD playback in Dual-AES configuration (not taken to DSD), I've found 176.4 clocking and 176.4 up-sampling is the best combination with my stack. I tried 88.2 and while it is good, I tend to like 176.4 better. BTW...I also tend to run with the digital filter set to On. I also utilize 176.4 clocking for DSD playback (native DSD for SACD).

Has anyone found that RBCD->DSD is superior for up-sampling?

I tend to do RBCD with DSD up sampling, but that is without clock.

After today's first listening session with the clock my preliminary findings (some came as a surprise, although is very early to say something clear):

I can hear a big effect by plugging the clock. Unlike others experience, I do hear a big difference right away.

THe system is a lot more resolving all over. Specially details and micro info, so like certain things that are there more present than before, without loosing other info, but also overall textures. Voices per instance are more rich and with much more body. Also separation of instruments, it is easier to diferenciate instruments in orchestras or even quintets. Not a great effect or difference on the bass though. Overall, resolution has gone up big time.

Now, do I like it...? Sure, but hard to tell at this point how much. Sometimes, depending on the record I play, I tend to think it is a bit too much detailed; too much resolution, if you like... Hard to explain. But with other records, mainly classical music, I think is just and plain great.

All the above with RBCD and up sampling to DSD as I use to do without clock.

Only listened to one SACD so far and it was classical, and it was very good.

Someone mentioned that after installing the clock, he changed his preferred setting with RBCD from DSD without clock to 176,4 PCM with clock. I will try this setting tomorrow and see.

Only a session of a few hours of critical listening so far, and just with 7 different CDs I know well (2 live and 1 studio jazz-like, and 4 well regarded classical recordings, one of them SACD). but those are my first findings. Where do I think maybe there is just a bit too much detail? in the Jazz ones. Classical are great. Not sure how I feel still about the jazz sound. Need more listening, for sure. Maybe the thing need to settle a bit.

We will see.

It's a shame I only have till monday to try out things.

I was wondering; is this thing really sensible to cables: BNCs and also PCs, or less so than transport, DAC and other gear, according to your experience?

Will report farther findings and how I feel about what up sampling I like better soon.

Best and thanks for your inputs
Eli

Zephyr - I run the clock at 176.4, but in my system, I prefer upsampling to DSD but definitely to not like that with the filter on - so I have the filter off. I find that in this configuration, the overall sound is more effortless and relaxed sounding. With the digital filter on, I hear a a little bit of a hard edge at the upper frequencies.

Eeliio08 and Babybear: Thanks for the feedback! I'll give DSD another try, this time without the filter. For the clock, it likes a decent cable but you don't have to over-spend. Something of the cost/quality of a Audience PowerChord "e" or similar will do (IMHO, these are great cords and I am extremely happy with them). I've used much higher cost cords and did not hear a difference for the clock. 75-ohm cables are important and should be of good quality. You don't have to over-spend but do buy sufficiently good quality cords. For this there are many options...