[Aibek]

Thank you @Aibek. I have been impressed by the sound of Metronome c|AQWO but never had a chance to hear it in a direct comparison with Cen.Grand Deluxe, so your description is very helpful.

What source are you using for these comparisons? I still use a CD transport as my main source,

If c|AQWO is optimised for t|AQWO and DSDAC Deluxe is optimised for GLD, then it would be an interesting comparison to drive both c|AQWO and DSDAC Deluxe by GLD once it materialises. Having said that, your description suggests that it might be difficult for DSDAC Deluxe to outperform c|AQWO.

I suggest not to rush and draw hasty conclusions. Let's wait for a special source from CEN.grand to appear

 

[Vincent_Amsterdam]

Nice to see that my initial experiment with the USB reclocker has been picked up by some of you and that the LHY UIP does a good job in most situations… @project86 aren’t you tempted to try?

 

[project86]

Maybe one of these days, sure. I'm so backed up on other projects right now though.

I have noticed a bit more difference lately when using various transports. It's what I'd consider pretty subtle, others may disagree of course. But using the Matrix Element S for example I can hear slight changes between some of the inputs (I'm torn between USB and AES for which is best). And if I switch to like a regular laptop or other non-audio-specific source like that, I do clearly hear the downgrade compared to a dedicated transport.

I still maintain that's it's quite listenable even with a cheap DVD player or laptop as transport. Cen.Grand's proprietary technology does in fact elevate those to a much more acceptable level as compared to a lot of other DACs I've heard which can really take a major hit using transports like that. But I am starting to recognize the potential for improvement as being larger than I initially thought.

That said, I also still maintain that expensive transports are so often completely divorced from their level of performance. I put some rather expensive converters up against my Matrix X-SPDIF 2 and, when powering it with a Keces P8 PSU, the Matrix outperformed most of them despite being far more affordable. Same thing with the Stack Audio Link II streamer with their matching Volt PSU. I once tried that with an InnuOS Phoenix and it actually made the sound worse... despite costing 3X the price. The Stack Audio can act as a USB reclocker itself so they are similar enough but I was surprised to hear how much better it was considering how good the InnuOS is known to be.

Bottom line here, I certainly recommend experimenting and finding what works best for your system. But as always, price is not as much of an indicator as people might expect.

 

[project86]

Still no news on the Cen Grand streamer?

I'm hearing early April as far as when they anticipate shipping. Could be sooner, or later, but that's the current estimation.

 

[sahmen]

I do not have the Deluxe yet, but I have a Sonnet Pasithea DAC currently being fed by a Denafrips DDC (Gaia) via the I2S input on the Pasithea, which is in turn connected to my Cen.Grand Big Silver fox.. If the LHY UIP has a place in a chain like mine, where will it go? Before the Gaia DDC or after it, or does it replace the Gaia entirely. The Gaia also behaves like a USB interface in the following chain :

Sonore Opticalrendu (streamer/renderer) ==>> (USB)==>>Denafrips Gaia DDC ==>>I2S/JJ45 ==>> Sonnet Pasithea ==>> XLR Balanced interconnects ==>> Cen.Grand Big Silver fox.

I do have the Cen.Grand Deluxe on my radar, because I suspect it might have better synergy with the Silver Fox than the Pasithea, which is on its own an exceptionally excellent DAC, but I do not yet have the budget for the Deluxe. However I would still like to consider adding the LHY UIP if it can bring some sonic benefits to the chain. So what do you venerable forum members think?

 

[ArthurPower]

I do not have the Deluxe yet, but I have a Sonnet Pasithea DAC currently being fed by a Denafrips DDC (Gaia) via the I2S input on the Pasithea, which is in turn connected to my Cen.Grand Big Silver fox.. If the LHY UIP has a place in a chain like mine, where will it go? Before the Gaia DDC or after it, or does it replace the Gaia entirely. The Gaia also behaves like a USB interface in the following chain :

Sonore Opticalrendu (streamer/renderer) ==>> (USB)==>>Denafrips Gaia DDC ==>>I2S/JJ45 ==>> Sonnet Pasithea ==>> XLR Balanced interconnects ==>> Cen.Grand Big Silver fox.

I do have the Cen.Grand Deluxe on my radar, because I suspect it might have better synergy with the Silver Fox than the Pasithea, which is on its own an exceptionally excellent DAC, but I do not yet have the budget for the Deluxe. However I would still like to consider adding the LHY UIP if it can bring some sonic benefits to the chain. So what do you venerable forum members think?

If you are using a DDC with i2s, there's no need for anything else.

 

[sahmen]

If you are using a DDC with i2s, there's no need for anything else.streamer, and what it should ie

Thanks. Actually, I suspect that an LHY UIP might find a better fil in another rig that I am trying to put together in a different location, a rig made up of the Schiit Bifrost 2/64 and the Violectric HPA V222, both of which are excellent performing units in their own rights. I'm still trying to figure out other possible parts of this latter chain, such as the streamer, and what it should ideally be, so things are relatively fluid and TBD on this front.

So back to the Deluxe...

 

[2mas]

Connection between Lumin streamer --> LHY UIP (+LHY OCK2) --> Deluxe, any suggestions on 50 or 75ohm, sine- or square wave from OCK2 to UIP ?

 

[seenc]

I received LHY UIP USB a couple of days ago, and now it’s warming up around the clock.
It’s too early to conclude, but some points immediately attract attention:

-looks and feels like a piece of a tank in your hands
-does not work with all USB cables (for example with ghentaudio USB cable jssg360)
-works great with DSD512
-in terms of sound, you immediately feel a big lack of bass, but with warming up it comes back)
-a huge scene right out of the box
-a very promising thing!! but I think it will truly shine with a good 10 MHz clock

 

[Vincent_Amsterdam]

For whom interested: I got a OCK-2 available. PM for interest.

Edit: Sold

 

[2mas]

Please explain to me if i'm wrong, but does it improve sound quality in any way, to connect an external clock to LHY UIP, when the Deluxe dac has clock blocking?

 

[Lucus]

No. And anyway,external clocks are here to synchronize 2 or more gears. It has no incidence on sound on a lonely DAC !
Of course there are some who think it is better just because they have one....

 

[Vincent_Amsterdam]

No. And anyway,external clocks are here to synchronize 2 or more gears. It has no incidence on sound on a lonely DAC !
Of course there are some who think it is better just because they have one....

Let your ears decide.. @Lucus your statement is false - a clock signal can be improved through an external clock (reclocking) on a single base/ device as well.

 

[project86]

As with most things in audio, that would be subjective and based on your unique system, ears, preferences, etc. It's true as @Lucus says above, the intent of external clocking has traditionally been to sync up gear rather than upgrade SQ. But the latter has also been a thing for a while and some people swear by it so... again, subjective.

I do think major changes in transport quality can still be discerned despite the excellent clock blocking technology. I think I mentioned recently that my thoughts on that have somewhat changed over time. But it seems to be the best of both worlds, where it allows exceptional transports to bring improvements to a system, whilst letting basic laptops or similar sources still sound very good - in contrast to many DACs where you pay a major penalty for using pedestrian transports.

So overall I still love the implementation even if it isn't quite as immune to transport quality as I originally thought.

 

[Vincent_Amsterdam]

It's true as @Lucus says above

Then what would be the purpose of the LHY UIP or Ideon Absolute Time - devices that are placed in the chain with an USB in- and output?