USB Reclocker


I would appreciate any feedback/experience/recommendations on adding a USB reclocker between a server and DAC? In my case a Roon nucleus+ server and a Chord DAVE DAC. I was looking at the Innuos Phoenix USB Reclocker.

i have a Ferrum LPS for the Nucleus+ and the DAVE power supply has been been updated with 3 independent Farad PSs.

Should a CHORD M-Scaler be a consideration?

 

 

 

 

singhm1

Showing 2 responses by ghdprentice

I would approach it differently. I would get a much better streamer. A good streamer will be quieter, make up for network deficits… etc. it is appropriate to pair a carefully chosen streamer of equal value to your DAC. Mine is actually more costly than my other components and digital sound is at the level of my great analog end. I have had streamers ~$3K, $5K, $10K, and $22K. Each bested the lower tier by a good margin. 

A good streamer cashes the file, isolates electrically and vibration, and provides an enormously low noise floor in the output. I have owned many streamers… and choose them based on their sound quality not the technology employed. I fiddled with trying to get good sound quality out of PCs and  MACs… fiddling with power supplies, battery… etc. then my first high quality streamer, just put them all to shame. Then, every increment up had a profound improvement. 
 

I come from an IT background. I don’t want to fix the whole plumbing system to get great sound in my audio system. I prefer to plunk down a box and have audiophile level sound. This is what they do. I now run off a $69 wifi extender and my streamer sounds as good as my equivalently priced high end analog rig, 

 

A few folks have shown they can futz with the switch, and do all sorts of complicated intermediary steps and get a similar result… I am skeptical, but acknowledge it is probably possible. I would rather listen to music than futz with extra boxes and the infrastructure.