Rym

Hi Alan, Sorry, question was probably not phrased correctly. I am also running the DCD off a 10Mhz Rubidium clk & I agree with you, the difference is noticable. Question which I had was, if anyone had tried the difference between a 10Mhz via the Rubidium clk vs. 10Mhz through the GPS reciever (like Thunderbolt). Just curious... By the way, I am still able to run only 96K out of the DCD ! Double wire, would need me to get another instrument, which I am hesitating to do for now. Anyhow, all what I like is available today from HD Tracks with 88 or 96K (mainly). SO that's fine. but if there is any Re-clocking equipment, which can do re-clocking like the DCD, but provide Single wire outs upto 192, that would be ideal. Have fun with the 10Mhz, it for sure helps. Rym

Hi there, Has anyone experience what might be the diff. between the GPS inout versus the 10Mhz input for a stable clk into a clk distributor like the DCD-8 ? Thx in advance...

Thanks for the fast reply Alan. Do you know if I can feed the DCD with 176/192 (as I do today) directly thro' the LynxAES16 ? Today there is a single wire AES out from the Lynx which is fed to the DCD. But I assume this input shall also need dual-wire input, if we are discussing >96K...right ? Assuning so far I correct, that would mean I would need dual wire-output form the Lynx, which I am not sure if I can do ! Am on the right path here or lost ? Appreciate your taking the time. Rym

Reading thro' the comments looks like there might be a method to get >96K AES Single wire out of the DCD (with help of an extra instrument) ? I am very satiasfied with the system currently (AES16->DCD8 fed 10Mhz -> 2xZodiacGOLDs. One is fed via the SPDIF out of the DCD & the other AES). But as rightly pointed out below, I am only able to get upto 96K re-clocked out, as the DCD gives out only 96K Single-wire AES out. So I have 2 questions : 1) What is the cheapest solution to add on to the existing set-up to get AES out from DCD into the DAC, so I can get 176/192 (like form the SPDIF) & 2) What changes should i make in the DCD ? Any hints/help appreciated. Thanks...

Hi Alan, I suspect it is a DCD-8 issue ! Unfortunately, I also struggling with this issue, as only when you go into the does one recognise that the DCD-8 gives 176/192 with AES Dual-wire only. I am still hoping SPDIF IN & OUT can handle the 176/192 ... atleast that is what the manual says. But I haven't had a chance to test it, as I am going out form the LynxAES16 card, so I need some kind of converter to SPDIF, before I can test if the DCD-8 can take in 176/192 & also give out 176/192 audio via SPDIF. Hope this was helpful. Good luck !

Don't know about the OCX, but DCD-8 from Brainstorm for example takes audio in (AES or SPDIF) from the LynxAES16 & can change the CLK outs (which could be fed to WC IN of the DACs) on the fly for upto 96K via AES Single-wire input. SPDIF, I am yet to try, but it is supposed to work then upto 192K. (only challenge would be to make the output of AES16 into SPDIF !) In this set-up it would not be advisable to CLK the LynxAES16, only the 2xZ+!

As for the manual clock adjustment, yes, that is one way, but those clocks which offer "audio-through" facility, will re-clock to the new sample rate & accordingly if they feed to the Z+, it recognises it & does the rest internally. Meanwhile, the CLK also sync this new rate with the Z+ Unfortunately, I couldn't find one which does this all the way to 192K. Maybe the Trinity ??

Unbelievable how much external clocking can do ! Call me crazy, but I went for 2xZ+ & literally clarity, openess, transperancy all have risen...must be a power supply issue, was one of the guesses. Any other experience/comments ? Anyone tried the 10M with the Z+ yet ? Great job, Antelope !

Hi Rene, I had the pleasure to try out the DAC202, the Zodiac+ & the Alpha DAC all into the power amp direct. having played the Alpha for more than a year, that sound is very familiar to me. I agree 100% with your observations. The DAC202 appears much more "harsh" as compared to the Alpha or the Zodiac+, with the Zodiac+ being the most "organic" as already mentioned by some more people on this forum in another string. Indeed, the addition of the a PRE does something. One clear answer is impedance matching, as mentioned by barrows too. However, there is more at play here. I wish I knew how to describe it. Recently using a PRE after the Alpha gave the effect of much more liveliness. Not in the sense of harshness, but simply more body to instruments. With the Weiss (without PRE), the details where much more evident, to ones ears as finese, while to another ear came over as harshness. However, with the Zodiac+, all this dissappears ! Voices are absolutely amazingly natural, where as instruments appear as well with their bodies. All this without PRE. I wonder what the introduction fo a PRE would do !! But I must confess, the perception of the Weiss bringing over more details remains. Independent of Weiss or Zodiac+, syncronising the clocks brings one forward, for sure. Have fun, Rym

Hi guys, I can only confirm the effect of external WC feed into the LynxAES16. The clarity was immediately audible & the similarity can be made to when one goes from single wire to bi-/tri-wire. Everything is simply so much more tight & clear. In automobile terms, once could say, it is like moving from a 15" wheel to a 19" wheel, with a bit wider tyre. The rubber simply has a better grip on the road & this is felt immediately. But one needs to like this feeling of course. For doing 30mph, this probably won't matter ;-) To be fair, I must also admit, I changed "the car" too. Was listening previously on the Alpha DAC & for the above test had moved to the DADAX24. So yes, there is a bit of contribution from the DAC there too, for sure. Will do some tests with the Alpha DAC soon. Anyone else any experience with Ext. clock snycs ? A must or a luxury ?

Just to inform those of you who might still be considering to go for a music server that Sonore does a great job. Jesus (spelt Hesus) goes indeed out of his way to help out & customise to your requirements. The System 1 with LynxAES16 run by MPD (music player daemon), controlled using an iPod Touch as the remote combined with the Alpha DAC gives an outstanding performance. Excellent job ! Have fun, the time for Digital to over-take is now !