Is computer audio a bust?

ah... Kevin... I have not communicated with you at all. Hi Guido, my issues with Steve go back an old conversatoion where he had advised someone here to add this synchr mesh in their system but Steve neglected to advise it was not bit perfect, which I believe he shuld have. When I had pointed it out, Steve than advised bit perfect just didnt matter. I think having manufacturers and engineers here is an increadible asset BUT if you look at how the others behave, they DON'T use these forums to promote their products. Steves threads always have an "you need my..." . The other guys NEVER say that. Steve decided to not make the unit bit perfect in order to keep the price dwn and he says it is not as important as reducing jitter. All I have said is the better unit would be bit perfect and his leaving it out is not because is is a better design.

Resampling is never bit-perfect. There are good resamplers and poor resamplers. I use a good one. It has gotten lots of glowing reviews. I actually used to sell a non-resampling reclocker, the Pace-Car, but the source had to be synchronized to it. This means that the source had to have a word-clock input or have a master clock driven from the reclocker using mods to the source device. It is a complicated matter to do reclocking of S/PDIF without resampling, not as simple as you allude to. Even though the Synchro-Mesh resamples and is not bit-perfect, it still beats the older Pace-Car, which was bit-perfect.

Reasampling is a lot like EQ. EQ has always been a dirty word for high-end audio, primarily because the graphic equalizers that were first introduced were such low quality. With the advent of Amarra software, EQ is now not only good, it can elevate your system significantly.

Likewise, the Synchro-Mesh uses new technology that makes the non-bit-perfectness a non-issue. Lots of folks are using it with their CD transports and Sonos in particular, but even with their Squeezebox.

I'll bet it would make even your Juli@t sound better.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Thank you Kevinkwann, unfortunately your comment was not constructive. I suggest avoidance of ad hominem.

Hi Cerrot, I can see that potential of both bitwise defects as well as jitter introducing a variety of distortions.... It probably depends on the magnitude and distribution patterns of each. Is there evidence that bitwise imperfections are actually causing audible distortions in current builds of Empirical products? ... As I have not experienced Empirical in my own system, I have not formed n opinion on the subject.

Saluti, Guido

I have compared my own Off-Ramp 5, which is bit-perfect to the Synchro-Mesh, both being powered from the same high-quality DC supply. The SM is pretty close to the Off-Ramp 5, even though OR5 is slightly better. In many systems, the difference would not be perceivable.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"State-of-the-art CD transports vs USB/SPDIF converter shootout:"

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/state-art-cd-transports-vs-universal-serial-bus-industry-standard-cables-connectors-and-communications-protocols-between-computers-and-electronic-devices-spdif-converter-shootout-15193/

The results of above comprehensive comparison perfectly reflect my own impressions as well, albeit via different equipment and interface (but that'd only underline the generality of the matter at hand).

Notice the difference in price between the CD-transports and USB to S/PDIF converter + server used..