Clock synchronization issue?

Just an update...I tried using an Arcam CD player as a transport, feeding the Simaudio 650D through the same S/PDIF rca input as the Sooloos. The sound was perfect - pretty much identical to using the 650D's own transport.

So, this must be an issue of compatability between Sooloos and the Simaudio 650D.

One other finding - the Sooloos/Simaudio 650D combination sounds more like the 650D's transport/dac combo when the Sooloos upsampling/apodising filter is switched off (more open sounding, although not as "rich").

Thanks Steve!

Very interesting, particularly that jitter in low frequencies can be more challenging than at other frequencies.

I predominantly use wave files ripped by Exact Audio Copy (with the program optimized for my laptop). Flac files (ripped by the Sooloos) I find don't sound quite as good.

Strange that so many of the audio reviewers use Sooloos to evaluate audio equipment if it's a limiting factor in sonic quality!

What's interesting is that the sound of the dac in the Sooloos Media Source 600 is quite warm and maybe a tad mid-bass heavy. What's also interesting is that engaging the Meridian up sampling anodizing filter before the digital output changes the sound quite a bit with my Simaudio dac - the music gets slightly rolled off in the treble and warmer in the mid-range.

Any suggestions for getting the best sound possible out of the Sooloos? I love the interface!

Thanks!

Cam

Thanks Steve. Your advice is much appreciated!

Cam

I compared the S/PDIF output of a Sooloos Ensemble with the MC200 into my Simaudio 650D dac yesterday. I got the best results with the Ensemble, which was basically on par with, if not a little better than, CD play through the 650D. Wondering why that might be - you would think that since Meridian took over the company and started to integrate their digital technology the sound would improve. Maybe the Meridian gear is designed to work best with other Meridian gear to the detriment of the sound through non-Meridian gear?

Well, I guess the S/PDIF digital output of the Sooloos MC200 and MS600 is not optimal and that Meridian has designed their DACs to compensate. Funny, though, that we found the Arcam D33 seemed to deal with the MS600 digital output better than the more expensive Simaudo 650D though...maybe better DACs are more revealing of poor digital sources?

I honestly think that Meridian's apodizing filter colours the sound as well but if you turn it off, the quality of the digital output signal without the Meridian upsampling/apodising is poor quality.

The other thing I noticed in reading the Stereophile review of the Sooloos Source One (2008) was that the original unit they got to test had a grounding issue with the analogue outputs which resulted in an issue in the 85 Hz range. I wonder if that issue persists in the digital output of MC200 and MS600?