Why is digital audio so complicated? Where did it all go wrong?

[SwissBear]

If we look at the new high-end DACs released on the market, we can witness that all the technologies we have been discussing here, like galvanic isolation of the USB input, high precision clock feeding a re-clocking unit, are now embarked into these new DACs. As an illustration, see the description of this one : http://www.audiostream.com/content/emm-l...-converter

Can we infer from this that these technologies add to the sound quality ? I would be tempted to, but I might not be completely independent in this debate as I own Mutec MC-3+ USB in front of my Devialet.

I can only guess that, with some patience, we will probably see these technologies embarked on the Devialet's DAC too :-)

[Hifi_swlon]

I can only guess that, with some patience, we will probably see these technologies embarked on the Devialet's DAC too :-)

Do you mean by way of a hardware upgrade, or you're thinking on future models?

[SwissBear]

I can only guess that, with some patience, we will probably see these technologies embarked on the Devialet's DAC too :-)

Do you mean by way of a hardware upgrade, or you're thinking on future models?

Well, my understanding of the technologies involved make it up for future models. I can imagine galvanic isolation being part of a hardware upgrade, but a high precision clock and a re-clocker would be another story IMHO.

[Confused]

If we look at the new high-end DACs released on the market, we can witness that all the technologies we have been discussing here, like galvanic isolation of the USB input, high precision clock feeding a re-clocking unit, are now embarked into these new DACs. As an illustration, see the description of this one : http://www.audiostream.com/content/emm-l...-converter

Can we infer from this that these technologies add to the sound quality ? I would be tempted to, but I might not be completely independent in this debate as I own Mutec MC-3+ USB in front of my Devialet.

I can only guess that, with some patience, we will probably see these technologies embarked on the Devialet's DAC too :-)

Looking at the specs on the Melco website I see they claim: "Audio-grade ultra-low jitter data clock - eliminates any possibility of data jitter at source".

So audio grade clocks everywhere.  I wonder how the Melco clock compares to the Mutec?  Maybe Meclo > Mutec > AES/EBU Devialet might work very nicely?  Plus in terms of the topic of this thread, such a set up would not be complicated at all.

[Hifi_swlon]

…. Maybe Meclo > Mutec > AES/EBU Devialet might work very nicely?  Plus in terms of the topic of this thread, such a set up would not be complicated at all.

Or according to below, possibly;                Melco > Mutec > Mutec > Mutec > Mutec > AES/EBU Devialet,

Or for slightly better value;. . . . . . . . . . . .Melco > Mutec > Mutec > Mutec > AES/EBU Devialet

Just to say in advance, even if I end up trying it, I'm not going to be ordering 4!

http://www.mutec-net.com/artikel.php?id=1388254422

[SwissBear]

…. Maybe Meclo > Mutec > AES/EBU Devialet might work very nicely?  Plus in terms of the topic of this thread, such a set up would not be complicated at all.

Or according to below, possibly;                Melco > Mutec > Mutec > Mutec > Mutec > AES/EBU Devialet,

Or for slightly better value;. . . . . . .  . . . . .Melco > Mutec > Mutec > Mutec > AES/EBU Devialet

Just to say in advance, even if I end up trying it, I'm not going to be ordering 4!

http://www.mutec-net.com/artikel.php?id=1388254422

FYI, this is an old article. MC-3+ USB has since been released, with a better clock than MC-3+. Fujak, the writer of the report you are referring to, has said that the new one was so good that it would easily replace 2 old ones... So you will only need a maximum of 2 MC-3+ USB    .

See 4.1 of this report : https://translate.google.com/translate?s...t=&act=url

[Hifi_swlon]

Out of interest, I wonder why they didn't include a USB out? (on the latest MC-3+ USB)

[SwissBear]

Out of interest, I wonder why they didn't include a USB out? (on the latest MC-3+ USB)

Well, the USB port is revertible. So if you have an input through AES/EBU or S-P/DIF, you can output to USB.

[Hifi_swlon]

Yes, but if you have a USB input (i.e. computer source), you can't also have a USB output, and USB seems to be the primary input on some DACs for DSD etc. Just curious really, I guess its because it more aimed at studios.

[thumb5]

Or maybe there is little benefit to be had from a USB-to-USB passage through the device?