Coax vs optical...

[Mart Mccall]

I know, still not sure I like this new feature of Google search tbh, my point was that if there wasn't an issue with jitter in early equipment, they wouldn't have needed to develop the technology, for example, my mid 90's Deltec DAC/transport uses an exclusive optical link to connect the two clocks.

Not new technology but a refinement of what already existed. There's no moving parts in a DAC, anything competently made will last decades.

So how do you sell another product to someone who already has a perfectly good one? By telling them the new one is even better. Jitter is just one of many buzzwords marketing teams use to do that. Most consumers are not educated in how DACs work, and bullshit baffles brains.

Deltec was very good equipment and will still stand up today. As does the 18 bit Sony DAC from 1989 that I still use.

 

[desertrat748]

Alright, then the connection itself is ruled out as it seems to work alright.
Unless there is something different in the setup of inputs in the SMSL dac, It seems then we’re back to perception bias.

If you haven’t already, it’s worth doing these tests blind and ensuring the sound levels are matched. That’s really the only way to minimize the perception biases we all have and can’t avoid.

In addition to expectation bias, several factors can influence perceived sound, including:

• Mood
• Health
• Alcohol
• Nicotine
• Energy levels
• Stress levels

Each of these elements can affect our sensory perception, especially when it comes to sound.

I’m not one to believe that the op is experiencing perception bias. Especially if it’s consistent and noticed unexpectedly.

They are two different paths that have different processing through different circuit paths. There is going to be a high probability that something is being introduced or slightly changed in the signal.

Regardless of what one believes or thinks about it, if the listener can hear a difference it doesn’t matter what you or I think. They can use whatever sounds best to them.

I have been one of the biggest skeptics when it comes to “I can hear a difference between (….,.). Insert your favorite piece of equipment or part. I have eaten crow every single time when fellow AKers have made suggestions about changing cables, resistors, capacitors, speaker wires, opamps and on and on.

Some changes are subtle and some are not subtle but rather drastic. I don’t like some of them but some are game changing.

It probably has a lot to do with an individual’s system and their hearing abilities. I can’t imagine that you could run a completely different path and conversion with the optical and not have some sort of effect on the quality of the signal.

Just my two cents after trying many of these and thinking that it might be any kind of bias or placebo effect.

 

[desertrat748]

see if there might have been any measurable numerical differences, but decided to just trust my ears as the final and rightly judge the playback SQ,

^ perfectly said. I wish more people would use this method and less of telling people what they’re hearing on their systems.

 

[Akustic]

I've directly compared and heard a similar difference more than once ..
I like the the coax's more musical presentation over the optical connection ..

YMMV ...

 

[mjw21a]

My experience is I2S > AES/EBU >Coax > Toslink

I now only use Toslink for TV. Its just not good enough for anything else. If MiniDSP made a version of the DI22D with I2S in and out then I'd still be using I2S but the benefit of DSP using AES/EBU outweigh the sonic benefits of I2S for me in the ability to handle EQ and room correction under 180Hz.

 

[NH Spinner]

I have Wiim pro plus connect to Smsl su1 dac and I can hear differences between coax and optical outputs. Coax sound richer, fuller, warmer, optical sound, flatter, colder thiner. I don't have golden ear nothing like that but I can hear the differences almost from the first notes. I tried Tidal streaming both ways, also my CD player has both outputs. Same results. My friend have same stremer connected to Topping D30.Same results,coax fuller, richer, optical thiner colder. I Didn't expect that much differences between digital outputs. Any other opinions?

With modern TVs, Toslink audio output is all that you're going to get.
They don't even have analog audio output any more.

 

[mrehorst]

With modern TVs, Toslink audio output is all that you're going to get.
They don't even have analog audio output any more.

They also have audio on the HDMI ports. You can only get multichannel surround via HDMI- it doesn't fit in the BW of toslink.

 

[NH Spinner]

They also have audio on the HDMI ports. You can only get multichannel surround via HDMI- it doesn't fit in the BW of toslink.

Good point.
Our TV and music systems share the same two channel audio power amplifier and loudspeaker pair.
This is made convenient by a rare front panel input selector on the power amplifier.

 

[Bushikan]

Alright, then the connection itself is ruled out as it seems to work alright.
Unless there is something different in the setup of inputs in the SMSL dac, It seems then we’re back to perception bias.

If you haven’t already, it’s worth doing these tests blind and ensuring the sound levels are matched. That’s really the only way to minimize the perception biases we all have and can’t avoid.

In addition to expectation bias, several factors can influence perceived sound, including:

• Mood
• Health
• Alcohol
• Nicotine
• Energy levels
• Stress levels

Each of these elements can affect our sensory perception, especially when it comes to sound.

Jitter is exclusive digital term There is no analog jitter. You can not hear digital jitter of course but it affect DAC and sound after DAC.

Well, now, these scientific facts seem to contradict each other, or at least occasionally butt heads—as science sometimes unfortunately does.

If there’re such things as expectation bias and perception bias, which can be affected by alcohol, nicotine, and stress—not to mention jittery symptoms of withdrawal—I’d say that, based on these scientific facts, jitter is sometimes analog.

Or is it exclusively digital?

Where is the jitter? What is the jitter? Where did the jitter come from? Please discuss.

Oh, science.

 

[Mike_S]

Where is the jitter? What is the jitter? Where did the jitter come from? Please discuss.

Oh, science.

You asked....
Best explanation
Network Jitter

Jitter vs Latency - What’s The Difference and Why it Matters

Have you experienced jitter or latency issues across your network? If so, what was causing the problem? We deep-dive

www.networkmanagementsoftware.com

Understanding Latency, Packet Loss, and Jitter in Network Performance

Discover the critical network performance metrics of latency, packet loss, and jitter, and learn how Kentik Synthetics helps NetOps professionals monitor and optimize network connections for a seamless user experience. Start your free trial today.

www.kentik.com

 

[audiotemp]

You asked....

From your first link,
"Jitter is a term used to describe the difference in latency between packet flow from one client to another."

That's not the jitter you're looking for.

 

[AudioAvarice]

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Jitter