Well you're not comparing apples with apples, since the AES/EBU input may exhibit different jitter and signal recovery properties to the spdif input.
In every experiment I've tried - including some seriously expensive CD transports - a spdif-spdif comparison into the same dac, with same cable, has shown the SB to be at least as "good" - and usually better. An obscure possibility is that some people prefer a more "jittery" sound...but personally I don't buy that. Given that issues with jitter/clock recovery will not affect frequency response, dynamics, soundstaging or anything remotely "analogue" in nature - only timing/prat remains. There's some evidence to suggest that the brain has to work harder to listen to a jittery replay chain, and this is fatiguing. The answer to the question "how little jitter is effectively no jitter" remains elusive IMHO. I think this was the thing that the original designers of digital audio missed (well, that and the fact that 20 bit is way better than 16-bit...). The clock recovery has to be better than "barely adequate". Far better to clock the transport accurately from the DAC itself and get rid of that jitter. Certain (generally older) DACS may not play nicely with the SB - I've seen some threads on this. Modern ones (last 10 years) should have no problems via SPDIF. ymmv -- Phil Leigh You want to see the signal path BEFORE it gets onto a CD/vinyl...it ain't what you'd call minimal...SB3+Stontronics PSU - Altmann JISCO/UPCI - TACT RCS 2.2X with Good Vibrations S/W - MF X-DAC V3/X-PSU/X-10 buffer (Audiocomm full mods)- Linn 5103 - Linn Aktiv 5.1 system (6x LK140's, ESPEK/TRIKAN/KATAN/SEIZMIK 10.5), Townsend Supertweeters, Kimber & Chord cables ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Phil Leigh's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=85 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=47988 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
