Empirical Audio Off-ramp 3 Verses Lynx AES16(e)

[Mr.C]

Does anyone have any experience with these for comparison? They are the same price but the off-ramp has more flexibility because it is USB and can be transferred from computer to computer more easily or if you have a laptop. I did find one review on audiogon(I think) that preferred the pace-car (not the off-ramp), but I'd like to hear other opinions.

 

[davidR]

Mr. C, I have not compared the two personally but wish I could so I apologize ahead of time! I will give you my take though. As we know from everyone's feedback the Lynx AES16 is great especially with its versatile connectivity and playback of higher sample rates; however, I can't say for sure if the Off-Ramp 3 with stock clock has lower jitter than the Lynx card but with the superclock 4 it does, and as you said is much more useful when considering laptop compatibility. All of the feedback I have read even for the earlier versions of the Pace-Car and Off Ramp are nothing but positive. Someone correct me if I am wrong but I also believe you would be the first person on the board to own an Off-Ramp 3 besides Steve N. obviously. That Superclock4 option is mighty tempting. I would have bought one myself and posted a review but at the time I wasn't aware of the BNC out option for use with my pro interface's word clock input so I purchased an external clock (Black Lion Microclock MKII).

 

[BMCG]

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?icomp&1229786837&read&keyw&zzlynx

 

 

 

[audioengr]

Positive-Feedback has an Off-Ramp 3 for review for several months now, so the review should be out soon I hope. Dave Clark does not have a Lynx AES16 to compare it to though. He does have a Pace-Car that he uses for his digital source however. His early email feedback was that the Off-Ramp 3 with a good USB cable and the Pace-Car sound identical. I have also found this to be the case.

 

I have had the LynxAES16 here, but I mostly used it with a Pace-Car reclocker, not by itself. I didnt specifically compare it to the Off-Ramp 3.

 

The clock in the Lynx is not as good as the standard clock in the Off-Ramp 3. 3 psec RMS jitter is the spec on the standard clock.

 

Steve N.

 

[davidR]

Hey Steve, is RMS jitter the same as accumulated jitter? I know intrinsic jitter is the amount the clock itself imparts into the signal. The clock I use is rated at 10ps accumulated, and 1ps intrinsic jitter. Just trying to clarify. The clocks you use are certainly impressive spec wise and I'm sure sound wise as well. You have also mentioned that the ultra clock although more expensive doesn't sound as musical as the super clock 4. Is this difference in sound related to the amount of desired or undesired harmonic content, phase noise, amount of jitter etc. altogether between the two clocks or simply one matter in particular? Thanks ahead of time for your input.

 

[audioengr]

Jitter measurements are all over the map IME, in order to make the products look better than they are. I dont know what they mean here. I have two clocks, my standard clock and the Superclock4, both rated at 3psec RMS jitter. Neither specs at what frequency or whether there is a range or limit. The SC4 sounds a lot better, probably because of some undesirable frequency content in the standard clock jitter.

 

"You have also mentioned that the ultra clock although more expensive doesn't sound as musical as the super clock 4. Is this difference in sound related to the amount of desired or undesired harmonic content, phase noise, amount of jitter etc. altogether between the two clocks or simply one matter in particular?"

 

I think the Ultraclock CAN sound better than the Superclock4, but it needs higher voltage and maybe a cleaner power supply input. It's likely the spectral or frequency content of the jitter. In the same circuit however, the Ultraclock is more detailed, but less musical IMO.

 

Steve N.