Master Clock Talk

[rsbrsvp]

Hi @rsbrsvp ,
You are absolutely on to something very important here. The PSU is equal important as the OCXO itself. It is a "pearls for pigs" scenario. And yes, a -121dBC/1Hz OCXO should have the best, most silent PSU You can find to match its potential.
/Jan

I owned the Morian MV89 from Queens and powered it with a crazy ultra low noise DC PS and I owned the Mutec Ref-10 SE120- and I can tell you- it was more a matter of equal but different rather than better or worse IMHO. I'm sure the Mutec Ref 10 PS is very good, but as I brought out in my previous example, 1uV, and .2uV noise ripple makes a big difference, and 1uV is considered very very very low noise already......

 

[rsbrsvp]

I wish After Dark and Mutec published the noise output of the PS's in their clocks.

 

[JaMo]

Mutec has put in a lot of efforts into their PSU's I know. We, the customers get the measurements for our individual XO's (phase noise and jitter level)

 

[DACLadder]

OCK-1/ OCK-2 swap day! Replace OCK-1 to -2 in main speakers system w/ Di20HE, HE7 mk2 DAC. Likewise, move OCK-2 for -1 in the PC/ headphone system.

The OCK-1 was powered off for a few minutes and immediately connected to the R7HE mk2 headphone sysyem. The OCK-1 sounds warmer but not by a lot Vocals clear and highs clean. Yet the OCK-1 wins my heart on the bass color. With both mk2 DACs the feeling of girth and vibe from the bass is very desirable and great synergy with the dynamic nature of both of the Audio GD DACs. Very much like adding a tube amp in several ways. So will let the OCK-1 rewarm for a day. But thrilled with both OCK-1 and -2 in the headphone system.

The OCK-2 in the speaker system with HE7 mk2 and warmed up for over 30 minutes after 2 wks burn-in. Sound more balanced with the OCK-2 clock. Bass is in control yet gets deep and punchy when needed. Highs are clean and beautiful. Vocals very, very good. Soundstage great. More warm-up probably needed but jaw dropping at the moment. This system has never sounded this good even with the Mutec Ref 10.

I have no problem using either OCK-1 or OCK-2 clocks and can recommend both! With either sound very liquid and flowing. The OCK-2 is more balanced/ refined and has better spec OCXO, more output options, beefier chassis, and better power supply. OCK-1 a little warmer with great bass punch/ drive and $250usd cheaper. I think I will keep the OCK-2 in the main system and OCK-1 with PC/ phones.

Give both of these clocks 2 weeks to run-in and open up. Always leave clock power on 24/7. YMMV with different equipment.

 

[OCC7N]

OCK-1/ OCK-2 swap day! Replace OCK-1 to -2 in main speakers system w/ Di20HE, HE7 mk2 DAC. Likewise, move OCK-2 for -1 in the PC/ headphone system.

The OCK-1 was powered off for a few minutes and immediately connected to the R7HE mk2 wuth phones. The OCK-1 sounds a warmer but not by a lot Vocals clear and highs clean. Yet the OCK-1 wins my heart on the bass color. With both mk2 DACs the feeling of girth and vibe from the bass is very desirable and great synergy with the dynamic nature of both of the Audio GD DACs. Very much like adding a tube amp in several ways. So will let the OCK-1 rewarm for a day. But thrilled with both OCK-1 and -2 in the headphone system.

The OCK-2 in the speaker system with HE7 mk2 and warmed up for over 30 minutes after 2 wks burn-in. Sound more balanced with the OCK-2 clock. Bass is in control yet gets deep and punchy when needed. Highs are clean and beautiful. Vocals very, very good. Soundstage great. More warm-up probably needed but jaw dropping at the moment. This system has never sounded this good even with the Mutec Ref 10.

I have no problem using either OCK-1 or OCK-2 clocks and can recommend both! With either sound very liquid and flowing. The OCK-2 is more balanced/ refined and has better spec OCXO, more output options, beefier chassis, and better power supply. OCK-1 a little warmer with great bass punch/ drive and $250usd cheaper. I think I will keep the OCK-2 in the main system and OCK-1 with PC/ phones.

Give both of these clocks 2 weeks to run-in and open up. Always leave clock power on 24/7. YMMV with different equipment.

Nah nah. You can only choose one. Which one would it be?

Thanks for the impression. Very appreciated

 

[DACLadder]

@OCC7N Dang it! Do I have to? The OCK-2 is king! Long live the king! Until OCK-3 comes out!

But also enjoyed the OCK-1 in place of the Mutec Ref 10. Has a toe tapping drive that is hard to beat.

 

[OCC7N]

@OCC7N Dang it! Do I have to? The OCK-2 is king! Long live the king! Until OCK-3 comes out!

But also enjoyed the OCK-1 in place of the Mutec Ref 10. Has a toe tapping drive that is hard to beat.

Thanks

Im getting the ock2. But I think would buy the ock1 if I did not need more outputs.

 

[DACLadder]

Im getting the ock2. But I think would buy the ock1 if I did not need more outputs.

Save up your money. The OCK-2 is the better clock. Vocals are clear, no grain. Highs no edge or ear burn. Very liquid. Best upgrade on the speaker system in a long time. YMMV

 

[FredA]

Real nice to have a dedicated clock thread {thanks @JaMo) with enthusiastic headfiers posting. Clocks are the greatest breathrough of the last 10y IMO. The dacs from audio-gd are great without, thanks to fancy timing management. But the ext. clock pushes realism further, so much ambience is added. For me, this prompted the fine-tuning of the rest of the chain over the last 2y.

 

[OCC7N]

Save up your money. The OCK-2 is the better clock. Vocals are clear, no grain. Highs no edge or ear burn. Very liquid. Best upgrade on the speaker system in a long time. YMMV

The dream is getting closer. I might order it before 2023

Im getting the stock 75Ohm cables from LHY. Its silverplated gotham cables. Im familiar with gotham they are pretty decent cables.

Should I get other cables(EU ONLY, no USA or ALIXPRESS) ..?

LHY is 180euro(90 euro each)

 

[ChJL]

So I wonder, and have brought this up in other threads.
Which DACs are of "sufficient quality" that one does not need add ons like DDCs or clocks?
I mean at some (price) point a dac has to have what an add on would offer, right?

 

[FredA]

A mature answer indeed. Sounds like someone doesnt know something.



So you're saying having additional bnc cables attached to the master clock will do what exactly? All I said is that the outputs are all active, if you place unnecessary load on the outputs, it would probably degrade the signal across the board.

If you're saying that it has some kind of positive effect, how would placing additional load on the outputs benefit? You brought it up.

If you're saying it has something to do with dummy load or something with the principles of terminating an RF circuit with a load, then please explain.

No need to get mad or defensive, I disagreed with you, thats all. Sometimes people are not always going to agree with you.

In fact, without a teminating load, the outout signal will bounce back. The ideal termination is thus a plug with the proper impedance acting as an rfi barrier at the same time. With indépendent outs properly designed, the potential gain is likely small. Depending on how large rfi can be of course. Also, the power draw is typically very small ( under 60mW) so not a factor.

 

[FredA]

So I wonder, and have brought this up in other threads.
Which DACs are of "sufficient quality" that one does not need add ons like DDCs or clocks?
I mean at some (price) point a dac has to have what an add on would offer, right?

Audio-gd's, for one. The base perf. is excellent. Gustard, and others.

 

[FredA]

The dream is getting closer. I might order it before 2023

Im getting the stock 75Ohm cables from LHY. Its silverplated gotham cables. Im familiar with gotham they are pretty decent cables.

Should I get other cables(EU ONLY, no USA or ALIXPRESS) ..?

LHY is 180euro(90 euro each)

The 50-ohm looks much like a c2. So could be awesome for the money.

I will eventually receive the Harmonic Technology 50-ohm, which sell for 160 or so shipped for. 0.5m. It's the Christmas Holiday in Hong-Kong so there is a delay added.

 

[JaMo]

So I wonder, and have brought this up in other threads.
Which DACs are of "sufficient quality" that one does not need add ons like DDCs or clocks?
I mean at some (price) point a dac has to have what an add on would offer, right?

I follow up on @FredA 's advice. Audio-gd's/Kingwa's designs is high level stuff as they are "but!" more and more of them are prepared to take external clock signals. Not bad to get that option in a good gear. The implemetation of the Amanero Combo circuits are good and very low on jitter and noise. Good gears.

I must mention Gustard, the R26 dac that is cheaper and it has the internal streaming player/renderer. The K2 clock synthesizer does a great job on its own but the thing shines with a good external master clock.

All this gear does. (Sorry) ; )
/Jan