14-May-2024, 02:54
FWIW, I did the following comparison to my D400, my source is PC streamer USB output :
1) connect USB direct to D400
2) connect USB to a DDC first, then AES from DDC to D400
3) my DDC is capable to be fed a 10Mhz external clock, I feed a 10Mhz external clock to DDC, then AES from DDC to D400
In sound quality terms, 1 is worse than 2 and 2 is worse than 3. The main difference is the detail level (both harmonics and treble details) and the soundstage. This proves that although it is digital conversion inside D400 anyway, the clock on the source signal will still be somehow passed to Devialet. I tested SPDIF coaxial as well, it doesn't sound as good as AES in my system but I can still hear the same difference when clock is connected.
From that, I can vouch that Devialet almost certainly can sound better if external clock can be connected, but everyone knows this is not going to happen. I can also vouch that even with my old D400, with a clock and DDC the DAC inside sounds up-to-date like a USD3k DAC from today. I don't think it will match top end DAC like Playback Design and MBS, but it is good enough to enjoy music, considering it came out almost 10 years ago, it's design is really way ahead of its time.
1) connect USB direct to D400
2) connect USB to a DDC first, then AES from DDC to D400
3) my DDC is capable to be fed a 10Mhz external clock, I feed a 10Mhz external clock to DDC, then AES from DDC to D400
In sound quality terms, 1 is worse than 2 and 2 is worse than 3. The main difference is the detail level (both harmonics and treble details) and the soundstage. This proves that although it is digital conversion inside D400 anyway, the clock on the source signal will still be somehow passed to Devialet. I tested SPDIF coaxial as well, it doesn't sound as good as AES in my system but I can still hear the same difference when clock is connected.
From that, I can vouch that Devialet almost certainly can sound better if external clock can be connected, but everyone knows this is not going to happen. I can also vouch that even with my old D400, with a clock and DDC the DAC inside sounds up-to-date like a USD3k DAC from today. I don't think it will match top end DAC like Playback Design and MBS, but it is good enough to enjoy music, considering it came out almost 10 years ago, it's design is really way ahead of its time.
