[DAPpower]

what clock cable are you using for connection to X26 Pro and U18? I am a X26 Pro and U18 user as well, on my system, both U18 and X26 Pro on EXT clock provides better resolution and soundstage with no downside. If your U18 sound more surgical overall with EXT clock, it may be an indication that you are not using a suitable cable for clock connection to U18. FYI, I am using 2 different clock cables for connection to X26 Pro and U18, what is good for X26 Pro may not be good for U18.

I'm using 2x Harmonic Digital Copper III for both X26 Pro and U18.

What cable do you think would be more suitable?

My budget is super tight right now, hopefully it's not something I can't afford.

 

[ray12345]

I'm using 2x Harmonic Digital Copper III for both X26 Pro and U18.

What cable do you think would be more suitable?

My budget is super tight right now, hopefully it's not something I can't afford.

For reference, I am using Harmonic DC III from clock to X26 Pro, and Cybershaft blue from clock to U18. I tried using Harmonic DC III to U18 as well (i.e. 2 DC III clock cables), it sounds a bit too rounded and rolled off on top, and mids becomes too lush and even slow in pace. The Cybershaft blue gives back the right balance for my system, and it is even cheaper than Harmonic DC III, definitely budget friendly.

I have tried 2 Cybershaft blues and also LMR-400, none of the other combos beat this one. BTW, use I2S to connect U18 to X26 Pro, none of the other connection option provides the same soundstage as I2S, it is just inherently better. Unfortunately, both USB and I2S cables affects the sound quite a lot, both my USB and I2S cables costs even more than U18, and I can't find any cheaper cables for my system with the same effects.

 

[Jake2]

For reference, I am using Harmonic DC III from clock to X26 Pro, and Cybershaft blue from clock to U18. I tried using Harmonic DC III to U18 as well (i.e. 2 DC III clock cables), it sounds a bit too rounded and rolled off on top, and mids becomes too lush and even slow in pace. The Cybershaft blue gives back the right balance for my system, and it is even cheaper than Harmonic DC III, definitely budget friendly.

I have tried 2 Cybershaft blues and also LMR-400, none of the other combos beat this one. BTW, use I2S to connect U18 to X26 Pro, none of the other connection option provides the same soundstage as I2S, it is just inherently better. Unfortunately, both USB and I2S cables affects the sound quite a lot, both my USB and I2S cables costs even more than U18, and I can't find any cheaper cables for my system with the same effects.

Have you guys tried the copper foil wrap tweak a few of us over on the Master Clock thread have done with satisfying results.

Costs next to nothing, especially if you already have a roll of copper foil with conductive adhesive. Basically wrap the foil around the BNC male/female junctions, say about 1 inch - 3cm wide, pressing it firmly in around the contours to to reduce air gaps, minimise RFI ingress and I guess improve the conductive path of the outer shield/signal ground. Noticeably improves my DC III and other cables I've tried, including the Gustard C2 and LMR400. More refinement and dynamics.

 

[ray12345]

Have you guys tried the copper foil wrap tweak a few of us over on the Master Clock thread have done with satisfying results.

Costs next to nothing, especially if you already have a roll of copper foil with conductive adhesive. Basically wrap the foil around the BNC male/female junctions, say about 1 inch - 3cm wide, pressing it firmly in around the contours to to reduce air gaps, minimise RFI ingress and I guess improve the conductive path of the outer shield/signal ground. Noticeably improves my DC III and other cables I've tried, including the Gustard C2 and LMR400. More refinement and dynamics.

Never tried, wouldn't hurt to try I guess. Just wondering, if the copper foil is not insulated against the BNC, wouldn't this help absorb RFI into the system rather than insulate it against RFI?

 

[Jake2]

Never tried, wouldn't hurt to try I guess. Just wondering, if the copper foil is not insulated against the BNC, wouldn't this help absorb RFI into the system rather than insulate it against RFI?

Provided you don't leave some long flap sticking out to the side I'm not sure there's any antenna effect of this 1 inch of material to speak of of any significance relative to the X feet of cable shield you already have floating in space between your components. The shield is also grounded, dumping any noise to ground... its point after all is to shield the signal carrying conductor in the centre.

The insulating dielectric material surrounding the inner conductor does of course continue inside the plug socket/exterior surfaces, the foil in no way changes that.

So my theory on why this improves the performance of my clock cables so much is the foil is improving the continuity of the shield at the BNC junction... think of how much play some BNC junctions have and the visual and physical gaps between plug and jack... GHz and mhz wavelengths are tiny and potentially exploit any such discontinuities in shielding, no matter how small. I've read in an RF forum that a pinhole gap in a coax shield can lead to a 10s of dB drop in shielding effectiveness. Screw type RF connectors would be much better in this respect. All just my theorising which prompted me to try it in the first place, but hey it worked for me and others!

 

[ray12345]

Provided you don't leave some long flap sticking out to the side I'm not sure there's any antenna effect of this 1 inch of material to speak of of any significance relative to the X feet of cable shield you already have floating in space between your components. The shield is also grounded, dumping any noise to ground... its point after all is to shield the signal carrying conductor in the centre.

The insulating dielectric material surrounding the inner conductor does of course continue inside the plug socket/exterior surfaces, the foil in no way changes that.

So my theory on why this improves the performance of my clock cables so much is the foil is improving the continuity of the shield at the BNC junction... think of how much play some BNC junctions have and the visual and physical gaps between plug and jack... GHz and mhz wavelengths are tiny and potentially exploit any such discontinuities in shielding, no matter how small. I've read in an RF forum that a pinhole gap in a coax shield can lead to a 10s of dB drop in shielding effectiveness. Screw type RF connectors would be much better in this respect. All just my theorising which prompted me to try it in the first place, but hey it worked for me and others!

Interesting theory .... do you think aluminium foil may work too instead of copper foil?

 

[Jake2]

Interesting theory .... do you think aluminium foil may work too instead of copper foil?

Worth a shot - aluminium foil is frequently used in cables as a shielding layer. As to whether there'd somehow be a negative of using aluminium rather than copper on the plugs I've no idea. Try it and see.

 

[TheRealDz]

I could use some troubleshooting help.

I bought one U18 for my desktop system, and it sounds fantastic, so I bought another U18 for my living room system.

My desktop U18 works great, but my living room U18 is having connection issues. I2S connects, but I can't get the unit to lock via coax or AES. This is important, because I am using multiple DACs.

Has anyone ever heard of this happening? Ie, I2S working while other connections don't work? There isn't any guidance in the manual.

I could return the unit, but I would rather not - it was on sale, and I would lose the sale price.

Any suggestions you might have would be appreciated...

 

[PhMZ4]

I could use some troubleshooting help.

I bought one U18 for my desktop system, and it sounds fantastic, so I bought another U18 for my living room system.

My desktop U18 works great, but my living room U18 is having connection issues. I2S connects, but I can't get the unit to lock via coax or AES. This is important, because I am using multiple DACs.

Has anyone ever heard of this happening? Ie, I2S working while other connections don't work? There isn't any guidance in the manual.

I could return the unit, but I would rather not - it was on sale, and I would lose the sale price.

Any suggestions you might have would be appreciated...

I’m supposing you have unfortunately a defect unit… had also one with a clock sync issue, which I had to RMA, and the new unit works flawlessly

 

[Highfive99]

I could use some troubleshooting help.

I bought one U18 for my desktop system, and it sounds fantastic, so I bought another U18 for my living room system.

My desktop U18 works great, but my living room U18 is having connection issues. I2S connects, but I can't get the unit to lock via coax or AES. This is important, because I am using multiple DACs.

Has anyone ever heard of this happening? Ie, I2S working while other connections don't work? There isn't any guidance in the manual.

I could return the unit, but I would rather not - it was on sale, and I would lose the sale price.

Any suggestions you might have would be appreciated...

Swap the U18 from your desktop system to your living room system and see if it you encounter the same issue. If you don't then you know the other U18 has to be RMA'd.

 

[phoneslave86]

I could use some troubleshooting help.

I bought one U18 for my desktop system, and it sounds fantastic, so I bought another U18 for my living room system.

My desktop U18 works great, but my living room U18 is having connection issues. I2S connects, but I can't get the unit to lock via coax or AES. This is important, because I am using multiple DACs.

Has anyone ever heard of this happening? Ie, I2S working while other connections don't work? There isn't any guidance in the manual.

I could return the unit, but I would rather not - it was on sale, and I would lose the sale price.

Any suggestions you might have would be appreciated...

I would try swapping out the two and see if they both disfunction in that same position in your audio chain might give you an answer. It seems these devices keep a memory for their various connections in cases. It might need to be reset somehow which there might be some secrets to doing this. For instance my network streamer is stuck only working with my U18 at the time. There are many things that can go wrong with audio chains communication/recognizing each other that might can be resolved by resetting everything and plugging them in the right order ect.

 

[TheRealDz]

Thanks for the replies.

I replaced the defective unit with a new one, and all works the way it should now.

 

[Metal-Fi]

I received the Gustard fuse yesterday and it's been in my U18 for about 24 hours. So, my system used to be good sounding before...and it is good sounding now - basically unchanged. It's a good replacement fuse with a better build quality for sure; but I was skeptical at first about the "audiophile promises" and what I get now just confirms my skepticism...

 

[DAPpower]

I received the Gustard fuse yesterday and it's been in my U18 for about 24 hours. So, my system used to be good sounding before...and it is good sounding now - basically unchanged. It's a good replacement fuse with a better build quality for sure; but I was skeptical at first about the "audiophile promises" and what I get now just confirms my skepticism...

You have never tried the Synergistic Research fuses, you will certainly notice a difference if you have installed the fuses in the correct position.
I was skeptical of fuses at first, but I experimented and I'm happy with the changes they brought even if I still think they're expensive.

 

[Thetaburn]

I received the Gustard fuse yesterday and it's been in my U18 for about 24 hours. So, my system used to be good sounding before...and it is good sounding now - basically unchanged. It's a good replacement fuse with a better build quality for sure; but I was skeptical at first about the "audiophile promises" and what I get now just confirms my skepticism...

Perhaps give it more time than 24 hours.
My SR purple fuse had a roller coaster sound signature for days.
The first 24 hours I thought it was a downgrade, but after about week, it sounded really good.