[Crassus]

Hello,

I've read many interesting threads here and on other sites about improving the spdif trace. I would like to understand why the trace is that important? Obviously the trace needs to be clean enough for the receiver to make sense of it but that's sort of where my understanding ends.

I know that spdif is not asynchronous and that clocking can be a problem (don't know how big a problem with buffers/reclocking) but honestly, has anyone done blind tests between devices with stock trace vs improved trace? I mean we are talking about bitrates for 44khz 16b, so the bandwidth is not that big.

I just don't get why the trace needs to be absolutely perfect. What exactly is the difference between a perfect and not so good trace as long as the receiver can pick out the bits. I would understand the issue if we were trying to push many times as much stuff over the cable but we are talking about quite modest speed here so are the edges really that important?

In other words. If I can play a CD on my player and record it with my CDR via spdif coax and verify that the burn checksum matches the original, why would there be an audible differences between this player and one with absolutely perfect trace? I don't really consider it an exception if the burn checksum matches.

So, if anyone can explain why I should care about the trace instead of living with my 'average' device TIA.

Another thing that is interesting. IF spdif is really that problematic, why aren't the big names using master clocks like in studio gear or even make their own proprietary connections instead of using spdif?

Ps. I don't want to start a war. I have a background in IT and I just don't get this issue and it's bothering me as it's against my common sense. I haven't found any ABX tests with statistical evidence supporting the hypothesis that trace is all that important (for CD audio) and on the other hand I've found many papers that makes me believe that low jitter is not audible.

[art]

The reason why they use master clocks is because it is problematic. It gets rid of the problem..........

But then you get into the problem of being of not being able to talk to the rest of the world.

Because of the "problem", if you have reflections present (and you will), it can muck up the sound. Maybe not enough for some to care about, but more than enough for some others.

So, if the trace impedance is wrong, then you will get reflections. But...........

A lot less reflections than you will get from everything else in the path. If you don't address them, then it won't matter diddly-squat.

Translation: If you have an RCA jack, you have bigger fish to fry.

Pat