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What's up with all those clocks

I am using a PS audio perfectwave MKII DAC and could not be happier (with the DAC that is). The last frontier for me is room correction, so I am now auditioning a Trinnov 4 channel processor in an 2.2 actively crossed-over setup.

So I go from digital source -> Trinnov digital processor -> PS audio DACs. If I decide to continue down this path, I can no longer use my PS audio bridge for network streaming of my music library, and have to move to music server with AES/EBU out to feed the Trinnov instead. The server options are a decicated box like Bryston or Sonore, or a PC/MAC with USB to AES/EBU converter.

If I keep the Trinnov and go the USB converter route, this opens a whole new world of possibilities to sink more money into my system, which is where my question comes in. For now, lets focus just on clocks.

The first clock in the chain is in the Mac/PC, the second in the converter the third in the trinnov processor, and the fourth in the DAC.

Just before the bits hit the analog board in the DAC, all jitter gets eliminated in the brilliant brand new MKII board of the PS audio dac, so you could argue, why bother spending lots of money on any clocks downstream - just let the Perfectwave clean up the digital signal. Is this the case?

If the downstream clocks don't matter argument is false (which it probably is), I can now spend an inordinate amount of money on say an offramp USB converter with upgraded clocks at the beginning of the chain. How much of a difference would this make downstream, given all the other clocking going on downstream. Could I just get a basic $200 - $500 converter, or is with worth going all out.

To add insult to injury, the Trinnov has an external clock option. What would this do for sound quality, (A) if I had a so so USB converter, and (B) if I had a SOTA USB converter?

In summary, can anyone explain how quality of clocking at various point in the chain will impact final SQ, and how I can best allocate my "clocking funds".

I can formulate a similar question for "power supplies". This hobby is borderline insanity....
edorr

Showing 1 response by bryoncunningham

bryoncunningham
893 posts
 
I feel your pain. My system has 4 clocks in series...

1. Mac
2. Sonos
3. reclocker
4. preamp/processor

The Sonos was modified so its clock could be slaved to the reclocker. The system has not one but TWO Audiocom Superclocks, one in the reclocker and one in the preamp/processor. That's a lot of $ just on clocks, but it's hard to argue with the results: Better clocks = less jitter = better SQ.

I'm not sure I have anything substantive to add to what Al and Steve have offered, but I think you're right that you will get a definitive answer only through experimentation. I'd be interested to hear what you discover.

Bryon
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