WHAT ABOUT CLOCKS?

I just added an Esoteric G25U to my Esoteric X03SE. I am still evaluating but it does appear to be a positive effect. The real plus for me, though, is that the G25U is also an upsampler (up to 192/24) so I am upsampling my SB Touch with the G25U and sending a 176k signal into my Berkeley DAC. (Playing with 196k as well). The soundstage is much, much deeper and I have a nice layering of soundstage, which is also wider. Much larger presentation, more palpable. Just amazing. The digital sounds incredibly good.

I auditioned the GOrb for 2 weeks intensely with my new Esoteric K01 player (an absolutley superb CD player). The K01 sounds exactly the same with and without the GOrb. The GOrb will improve the sound of 2 box players (like the Esoteric P03/D03), because it synchronizes the transport and DAC clocks on one superb external clock. It will not improve the sonics of a one box player unless the player has a lousy clock. The K01 clock is very good (accurate up to 0.5PPM). The X01D2 (my old player) clock is not quite as accurate as the K01(I can't remember the exact spec on the X01d2 clock, I think it is around 1.0 PPM). I doubt that there will be a significant detectable audible improvement by adding the GOrb to the X01d2. There is no question the clock will be more accurate but the X01d2 transport and DAC run off of the same internal clock, so it is already synchronized. The improved clocking accuracy, under the circumstances, will not be audible, in my opinion.
I suggest you try the GOrb before you buy. It is a very cool piece of equipment. But, it is quite expensive. It didn't do a thing for the K01.
I think your money would be better spent by trading in the X01d2 for the K01, the improvement in sound is enormous.
Good luck!

Huntermusic - have you considered clocks by Antelope? They make pro-grear stuff which is usually as good as if not better than most audiophile stuff at less cost. Their clocks are their sweet-spot.

I'm using a Verona with my Verdi Encore/Delius. I've just acquired a Trak 8821b GPS frequency standard so next step is to set that up to take the GPS clock signal into the Verona. Anyone tried an external GPS reference into the dcs stack?

This has been a great thread for me. I have decided to buy a Esoteric K-01 to replace my X01-D2 and forego the outboard clock for now.
Matjet's pov was the deciding factor, and it was confirmed by the person from whom I have bought a great deal of my equipment, Anthony Perrotta.

I have also decided to push out of my brain the thought that it is time to move past CD to a server. Maybe next year but not now. I never thought CD/SACD would be suddenly "old school" but "Whomp, There It Is."
Back to Mozart. . . . .