Innuos - New Re-Clocker

There I deleted my posts to make everyone here happy,  have a nice day

p.s. my point about mentioning USB cables affecting sound with an asynchronous USB DAC is that it illustrates that there must be more to the puzzle that merely a "master clock controlled by the DAC"... variables that can originate with the signal coming from the server to your DAC and ultimately influencing the sound of the resulting analog signal. It then stands to reason that these variables can be addressed... seems to be what this Innuos device is doing.

@thyname

Thank you for your report on the Phoenix in your system. So did you use an aftermarket PC, footers and a high quality USB cable or did you keep it basic for the demo? Can you elaborate more on what you heard?

I might have to re think my stance on pairing a Phoenix with my ZENith mk2 SE vs selling my SE and going for the Statement.

Hi @Ron17: I am using an Audioquest Hurricane PC for PhoenixUSB. USB cable is a cheap China made from Ghent. I have a Sonore by Cardas USB cable from ZENith MK3 to PhoenixUSB.

In terms of sound: what I hear is a cleaner presentation, with a very audible improvement in instrument separation. A bit more focus to music. Definitely “smoother” sound, less “glare” that makes the sound more pleasant, and less tiring when listening for extended period of time.

@dvdboulet: I shared here the technical explanation of how PhoenixUSB works I received from Nuno at Innuos. A bit more info than it’s already in website, and a clarification on what is reclocked vs what isn’t. Unfortunately as it always happens in these public audio forums, such stuff gets buried inside the numerous interventions naughtiness caused by the trolls.

Now that our assigned Troll for this thread deleted all his posts (good riddance IMHO), it’s probably time to repeat the most common misconception about reclocking function of PhoenixUSB:

I don't think people realize that the USB signal does not get reclocked by the DAC. What they reclock on the DAC is the audio signal that is transported via USB. What the PhoenixUSB shows is that the USB communication components themselves are affecting the performance of the DAC. This has also independent of the isolation of the DAC. Innuos has tested on numerous DACs, some very well known in the market for its galvanic isolation, and the result is still the same - they can't really isolate the data lines so the source still matters.

Basically: PhoenixUSB reclocks the USB signal with a very high-end OCXO clock, which is powered by its own power supply. Do not confuse this with the clocking for the audio signal, they are not touching the audio signal at all. They are reclocking the USB commnunication between the source and the DAC. PhoenixUSB does not work at the audio level but at the USB protocol level.
And I am leaving out the two other aspects of the design. Namely (copy/paste):

1. It regulates the 5V line from the source, helping remove some noise from the source itself

2.. It replaces the 5V power by one of the included Statement-level linear power supplies existing on the PhoenixUSB

And I already shared my own impressions of actually owning the PhoenixUSB for myself, but that’s of course one man’s data point. So it’s all subjective, and I understand the skepticism.

For what’s worth: I did a few A/B tests last evening as well as today. Nothing scientific, no blind tests certified by a panel, just me, with and without Phoenix USB in the path. Results are clear, this brings my setup to a new level. It’s not even close. Not subtle. This is change of the same magnitude of upgrading to a better DAC (I have owned over two dozen DACs over the past 15 years)

I am definitely not hallucinating, as our assigned troll makes it sound.

I am not an Innuos shill. Just a happy customer. First with a ZENITH MK3 about a year ago. Now with Phoenix USB 

Peace!