Aune XC1 Master Clock - A significant upgrade or a clock tease?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ก.ค. 2024
- A review of the Aune XC1 master clock designed to upgrade the sound quality from the Aune X1S GT and Aune X5S streamer. You can buy the XC 1 here:
🇦🇺 a1futureshop.com.au/product/a...
🌏 bit.ly/LinXC1
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00:00 Introduction
01:13 Glamour video
02:57 What do audio clocks do?
05:18 Front & back panels
06:52 Sound quality with XC1 connected
09:17 Sine wave vs square wave
10:09 Final conclusions
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#audiophile #audioreview #masterclock - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
![[TH] 2024 PMWC x EWC Group Stage Day 3 | PUBG MOBILE WORLD CUP x ESPORTS WORLD CUP](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VnOqutfqWqU/mqdefault.jpg)
After seeing so many four figure master clocks in the market, it is fascinating to see a useable OCXO clock is still available for such a modest outlay.
Absolutely. That was part of my interest in it too
Great review - love the mini format!
Glad you liked it. I'll produce a few more of these shorter ones where I can 🙂
Wow the content just continues to be top notch on their channel. Between the Ron watts interview and this video it’s been quite a fun week. 👍
Perhaps you could do more content on world clocks or standalone clocks for something like a Holo the Hugo dacs or the denafrips options. Perhaps there are other options that can help higher dacs scale a bit. Perhaps something like the gustard u18 with a stand alone world clock between a streamer and a high end Dac would help.
I'm definitely open to exploring this further and so glad you're liking the recent videos, Ace! I'll have to find a DAC that takes the input and then I can test with the SU-6 clock output or other external clocks.
Nice review thanks. Quite an unusual combination.
It is a bit different, isn't it? Glad you liked the review!
A very interesting review, Lachlan, many thanks! I've been interested in the Aune X8 XVII DAC and have read reviews that are enthusiastic; one reviewer found the X8 XVIII to mach Topping D90 LE's performance when swapping the stock op amp found in the Aune DAC with the Sparkos SS3602 dual op amp, a very impressive upgrade in its own right. It would be great if you could review that DAC and also add the XC1 in the mix (if applicable as this DAC does not seem to have a clock port). Best regards.
Thank you for the review. I experience similar differences when I use a reclocker (Mutec MC3+ USB). It can be a master clock, but also clean up signals, like USB and gives a more spacious, clean sound to my dacs (RME ADI-2 and Denafrips Ares2). Maybe do a review of a reclocker one day. They are more flexible than a master clock alone..
I'd love to play with one of those. Definitely on the wishlist for a review!
Would be very interesting to see if you use some external linear/hybrid PSU, like an Ferrum Hypsos if sound improves as well. In this price range I'm suprised to use external clock, because serious clocking starts way beyond 3k. Thanks a lot for your insights, love your explanations, well done!!
Sure good linear PSU (or big desktop powerbank) can help GT improve the sound too.
I would definitely expect improvements from an LPS. At some point though I'd question the level of extra investment for what begins life as a $300 unit. Not saying people shouldn't add onto it, but you'd end up with peripherals worth 2-3x the price of the main unit in no time
Hi Lachlan, thank you for another wonderful review!! I wonder if this Aune master clock would work with Chord Qutest? Thank you
I don't remember if the Qutest has an external clock input. I don't think it does, but other options like the Gustard R26 do.
@@PassionforSound you are right Lachlan, that’s okay. Thank you for your help though. Have a great Easter.
You too!
I love the provocative titles lately
I like to have a laugh when I can 😁
Hi! When will you launch the rank/tier video?
I'm hoping to record it today, but the schedule is quite long at the moment so patrons will get the tier video this week, but it won't come to the general TH-cam audience until late August
my dream stack is Denafrips Terminator 2, Gaia DDC and Terra clock... Lachlan if you can get hold of them and make 3 reviews that will be fantastic... i'll also be happy if you can only get Venus 2 instead of Terminator
I'm very keen to try some more Denafrips gear so 🤞🤞
The DDC won’t make a difference to the terminator, the terminators internal clock overrides any input from a DDC. Watch golden sounds review
A DDC does more than clocking. It can also help to isolate the DAC from upstream noise that can mess with the DAC's clock and provide the ability to deliver the signal via whichever input is best on that particular device (I don't know the Terminator specifically, but many DACs have some inputs that perform subjectively better than others)
As an X1s GT user, any chance you could also review the streamer option as well, for that complete system perspective? 🤗
I'd love to, Darren, but it's a very niche product in many ways and I don't get enough views on these videos to make it worthwhile for the retailers to crack open a box and lose the full retail pricing on the units. Maybe someone can send me one someday...
The streaming X5 is just for SD or HD, not for network being very limited.
It would be very nice to see Aune offers an network streaming to the X series whith an clock input to complete the stack.
Oh, that's a shame that there's no internet streaming. So, only local network or not even? Either way, needs to be better in 2023 I think.
RF Lab equipment (like for radar or telecom frequencies) also uses the 10 MHz reference for locking phases of devices, but if it's a messy output then it's often just a messy output. Maybe I"ll have to do more testing to try imrpove a crap output with a good device's 10 MHz reference. Sounds like you found it quite good though, so I'll have to hear it myself. Also in my opinion a manufacturer should just use the best parts available in their main "GT" branded devices. Digital to digital converters may have more merit than something like this.
It was definitely an upgrade in this case and they're using a high quality clock in the XC1.
Initially I thought the same as you that they should have just improved the clock inside the GT all-in-one, but knowing that you can stack the XC1 with two devices that both benefit from the external clock starts to make more sense
Uncontrollable Urge is a great song. "Are We Not Men" is Devo's best album imo. Such an original/influential band
It's a Beautiful World is my fave
@@xyanide1986 Great Track
I agree about the album - very enjoyable across the board
Great review! I'm currently toying with an idea (actually waiting for delivery) to get a really cheap USB interface with upgraded clocks. The douk audio U2 pro (XMOS XU208) is around $70 but with upgraded crystek 957 femtosecond clocks can go beyond $200. It can output i2s too. So it's like a master clock for the laptop and the DAC. I'm planning to use the spdif output for my Bifrost dac. People are saying it's even better than schiit's unison usb implementation! It will need a linear power supply too. So maybe not that cheap but I'm hearing really good things about it. If you get a chance please do review the base model. They call it the poor man's DDC so maybe there is something to it.
Very interesting. Thanks for telling me about that one!
@@PassionforSound people also claim that it brings noticeable improvements to chord products.. I mean it's hard to believe that 3 non-femtosecond cheap Chinese clocks can achieve such a feat. Because if it can then it raises questions on expensive products not doing their homework or it may point to a new dawn in industry standards. I mean the humble USB isn't going anywhere and I2S via streamers hasn't been standardized yet.
In my experience, any improved digital interface can improve the gear downstream regardless of the price of that gear. I think the difference gets a lot smaller with high quality gear, but it's still there
@@PassionforSound Thank you for your reply! I'm getting the femtosecond clock version. I'm just hoping they are genuine parts and not some cheap Chinese knockoffs. Time will tell.
Good luck! Hope it goes well 🙂
Hey man, i will happy if you help me🙏🏻 ,
i need your experience!!
next week i will finally buy an earphone
but yet, i still couldn't choose a reliable earphone😑😤 because i don't have experience in this field!!
& an important point that i want earphone just for the song, not for vocal !!! just the song !!!!
the vocal doesn't matter to me , because I'm not listening vocal !!for the
my style music(Trance,electric,Ambient)
with flat-neutral sound !!!!!
It should be perfect & excellent in all factors(with big wide,height,depth / soundstage & , Resolution, separation, & clean), especially mids ,upper-mids ,high treble,brilliance !!
which earphones is it ??
(Budget ~$1200)
i was going to buy Monarch Mk2, but i gave up!!
i will be happy if you have some recommend!! 🙏🏻
It's very difficult to recommend an earphone because it's all about personal tastes. The Monarch Mk2 is great and an excellent choice. The Sennheiser IE900 is also a great option (if it's in budget). There's also the Meze Advar and FiiO FH9 too, but so much depends on your personal preferences.
can you review the X5S streamer?
Not right now because I've got so much else to get to, but perhaps I'm the future.
@@PassionforSound thx for reply please do in the future I'm interested in X5S but see almost 0 reference online :D
Yeah, it's a bit of a niche product which is why. It's hard for retailers to justify opening a box and losing the full retail sale for a review of a low-volume selling product like that one. Aune don't seem particularly active when it comes to providing demo units for reviewers.
@@PassionforSound if I am correct the X5S can be served as the music server and DAC at the same time. along with everything marketed it looks quite nice, especially since music servers are often way too expensive for what they're worth (just what I feel, could be wrong).
hope that you will get your hands on more niche and unique products, it piques interest and help you post more diverse content :)
I'm always on the lookout for something different to discuss so I'll see what I can arrange.
A master clock is one of the last tweaks I've wanted to test in my headphone chain, does anyone know if there's one out there that's smaller than this or possibly square shaped?
There are a few out there, but I'm not sure of specific models and dimensions. The Singxer SU-6 DDC has a clock output. It's a slightly bigger device, but also rectangular
@@PassionforSound I currently use the X-SPDIF 2 as a DDC. Ideally, if a master clock exists that is similar in size to that, I'd order. Until then, I'll be keeping an eye out for one.
Laughed way more at that title than a grown man probably should have 😂
Mission accomplished! 🤣
Nice title, lol
😉
Hmm… how did I miss this? 😂
Got to pay attention, Billy!
@@PassionforSound some videos I watched over and over, maybe that’s why I missed some
Always nice to find a hidden episode on a favourite channel (assuming this is a favourite of yours 😉)
@@PassionforSoundabsolutely my favorite, hence a Patreon.
@@PassionforSoundcan I use this with my R26? How about the LHY OCXO OCK-2? I also don’t understand where the clock goes, do I just connect it via BNC 50ohm to my R26 BNC with a cable? Music still goes via USB to my DAC right?
If it doesn't clearly improve sound at least by 10%, it's not worth bother at all. It wil also confirm that X1s GT is a good product as a standalone dac/amp by itself.
Putting numbers to sonic improvement is very hard. I personally think it's worth it to further improve on the GT's performance
@@PassionforSound sure there's no such "measurement". It's just how you/we sense it. The best way I see it - it's easier to tie it up to soundstage improvement.
The next unit will have to be a more accurate oven temperature control unit , get an even more accurate clock output 😂
You mean the whole device in its own little oven? 🤣
lol clock tease
🤣
Surely your listening test is invalidated , because you are identifying the switched component.
Better to get somebody else to conduct the switch?
No, that's only an issue if you're expecting a specific difference, not testing your assumptions and if there is no difference. I was actually a bit sceptical about whether I'd hear any significant improvement from a relatively affordable product like the X1S GT. That said, there is solid science behind the impact of clock accuracy on things like jitter and the accuracy of the output signal so it's not THAT surprising that I heard a noticeable (but subtle) improvement