Drawmer M-Clock DMS-1 vs. Apogee Big Ben

[Dubai]

Drawmer M-Clock DMS-1 vs. Apogee Big Ben
or...
Apogee Big Ben vs. Drawmer M-Clock DMS-1

...
the test was done in another studio with Motu Traveler and Logic 8.
i hope the test will be done again in my studio with Lynx AES16.
recordings were only done at 44.1Khz, the Traveler + Logic 8 had problems, didnt wanted to work at other sample rates.

Looking from the side...
The Drawmer looks very small... or the Big Ben looks very big.
¿what could be in there?


The test was done with 2 different Power Conditioners...
Furman AR-15 Series ][ + Furman P-1800 PF R + Furman M-8x
vs.
PS Audio Power Plant Premier.

with shielded power cables.

seems that the Apogee "sound" didnt improved with PS Audio 0.6% Sine -80dB noise,
like all DDS clocks ive heard. seems they are less sensitive to dirty AC or 4% distorted 60Hz Sine wave from the wall.

the Drawmer its analog/digital hybrid, PLL or TTL instead of DDS, and the sound did improved with the PS Audio PPP 0.6% 60Hz Sine wave -80dB noise AC.

The Big Ben has an small drift... like all DDS clocks ive seen, but less than the others.
Big Ben: 44.1002 - 44.1003
Drawmer: 44.1000.

M-Clock when calibrated has 0 drift, True AES11-2003 Grade 1.
= Tuning guitars with the Drawmer + Logic Tuner plugin was more accurate than the Korg dtr-2000 rack tuner, can be "perfect" <1ppm, only human error possible.


****
the Big Ben < > buttons worn out, they feel lose or too sensible. it was a recent BB 202X serial.
Drawmer buttons always feel ok, its an older serial 12X.

...there was a sonic difference.
like comparing Crest CA2 vs. QSC RMX...
like comparing Forssell smp2 vs. Millenia Media HV-3

the mids and the highs are different....
in the Crest, Forssell and Drawmer... the mids are more 3D "not flat".
in the QSC, Millenia and Big Ben... the highs are brighter but the mids are flat.

3D mids can also be called more Dynamic mids.
Flat mids can also be called near No Dynamic/pulled back/compressed limited Mids.

the BigBen has a sound, the Drawmer has another sound...
like when making a painting ....different colors and brushes to choose from.
The same, sonic palette.
whats better? personal taste or music style dependent.?

the Drawmer outputs change..,
with the PsAudio PPP, the BNC outs are the best, the AES & s/pdif outs "direct PLL" are second best, the AES & s/pdif outs "SRC outs" dont have the 3D sound, they are "Flat" also.
with dirty AC power, the SRC outs are the best.
Drawmer needs super clean power.

clock cables change the sound, tested different brands of s/pdif and bnc cables...
The Motu Traveler BNC-ins seem better than the s/pdif-ins, when testing the same clock with different inputs BNC vs. s/pdif.

its hard to explain, or understand why, 1 meter Apogee Wyde Eye BNC always had more dynamic lows, but... its a digital signal at 2.8224Mhz, i guess because signal reflections, standing waves occur, and some bits get out of phase, maybe becouse its a BiPhase Marc coded signal.
dont know, but sounds different.
makes me want to buy silver bnc & s/pdif cables.
...
want to the test again in my studio with the Lynx AES16, and Sonar, will upload files.
want to know how they translate to other sound systems.
...
if i had to choose only one? ...

when listening in other sound systems... consumer quality.
the Drawmer recorded files sound more analog, like the sound breaths, more bass, heavy/lower dynamic sound.
the Big Ben sounds compressed bass, upped sound, thin & stiff.
(files normalized to -0.3dB, and recorded with same cables, same converters, same software, exept clocks.)

when listening with a good clock, the BB seems to have better highs,
but listening with standard sound systems, didnt liked the stiff sound.

i like Drawmer M-Clock, ...with PS Audio PPP.
want to buy more power conditioners to see if the Drawmer can improve even more. (balanced power, etc..)
if i had money to buy accuphase ps-1210 (0.22% THD), will do it.
also silver bnc cables.

[Dubai]

Recorded...
E.Guitar or E.Bass--->Radial dual DI box--->AD converter--->s/pdif--->Motu Traveler--->Logic--->Kodak USB memory-->Car--->2 hours drive--->1 hour re-installing equipment--->WMP--->AES/EBU--->Sonar--->Normalized to -0.3dB--->Comp + EQ settings--->Track Export with 64-Bit engine active to 24-Bit file.

all bass knobs were at max. setting.
Recording software was Logic 8, Motu Traveler.
"Mixing & Editing" Sonar 8, Lynx AES16. (reduced the file size as possible with cut, no fades.)
from E.Bass or E.guitar to Radial were Acoustic Research cable with 1/4" adapters.
from Radial to AD converter were Proel DieHard 6 meter XLR cables.
from Clocks to AD converter was Philips PXT1000 1.8 meter cable.
from Clocks to Motu Traveler BNC-input, was Apogee Wyde Eye BB-1 meter.

Drawmer needs super clean power to sound like this.
Big Ben likes more Furman.
i recorded the files again thru AES/EBU from WMP-to-Sonar, not imported, becouse File import in Sonar WinXP x32 does not sound good/recently upgraded to Sonar X64/Vista x64 and File Import did improved.

Dry & Wet files... so you can make your own mix & test AB.

it was a quick test...
*Download Cole 2K Media Pack Advanced to play 24-Bit Files with WMP10/11.
Beware: bass or guitar levels are never mixed at 0dB.