Quote:
Originally Posted by Junkie  Although great for clock distribution, a separate clock shouldn't be purchased to simply improve your sound - this is a common misconception and bad practise. Any digital device that changes sonic characteristics, be it better or worse, when clocked externally compared to internally is susceptible to jitter and nasty effects at its output as a consequence.
A well designed clock will be able to sync to any external signal and maintain a consistent sonic quality compared to when it is clocked internally. Even if the external clock is of questionable design, the good clock can lock on to even the ropiest of signals and regenerate a perfectly good signal at the output.
When clocked internally the poorly designed clock won't be susceptible to any interference, like jitter, so one should actually slave your studio from the worst performing clock and the good clocks will not be bothered by its poor clock signal, or any other jittery horridness!
If you're ever thinking of buying a converter and external clock package for the perfect sound, stop! Just buy a well designed converter in the first place.
I hope this makes sense.
And here come the arguments... |
No real argument as you seem to have only consumed 1/2 a glass of the Dan Lavry Kool-Aid
®.
I dare say that purchasing an external clock to improve the sound is a good thing... but agree that a well designed internal clock is something to be attained in lieu of an external clock if possible... but sometimes an external clock of superior quality to a poor internal clock is a cost effective way to get a good measure of improvement for less than the cost of an excellent converter with an excellent internal clock [see Lucid for details].
The RME will be greatly improved by locking it to the clock in the HEDD-192 as that clock is
VASTLY superior to any clock ever imagined by the RME folk. Unless clock distribution is required an external device like a Big Ben will indeed be unnecessary as at the end of the day [at least to my ears, YMMV] the clock in the HEDD-192 is superior to the clock in the Big Ben.
That said, the next level of improvement that can be attained [and make no mistake, a palpable sonic quality improvement can be had!!] will run you about triple the price of the HEDD-192... and from what I've been able to gather from the original post, will not be a practical thought in terms of capital expenditure or budget maintenance [like if you have to ask the question here... chances are you need improvement in a lot of other places].
Peace.