Audio-GD DI-2014 Reclocker

[Bencat]

Recently in many forums there has been lots about using a Mutec 3+ USB in your digital chain to reclock the digital stream to improve sound. I have heard one for a day in a system at a DAC off and I have to say was impressed by the differences with and without it in the chain . Sadly new these units are £1100 + and even used they are closer to £1000 . I just can not afford that sort of money . However a friend has recently bought a used Mutec and he already had an Audio GD DI 2014 unit which does the same thing but is much cheaper and now discontinued.

However I met John at the Wam Show were we both had rooms and he was kind enough to lend the unit to try out at home in my own system . After being so worn out after the show and having a repaired/upgraded NVA P60 power amp to install in my main system and listen to I managed to get the time on Sunday to put the Audio GD in my active system chain . I have taken an RCA SPDIF out from my Allo Digihat Signature player to the Audio GD then a BNC connection from that to the MiniDSP DDRC 22D and then through the rest of the system . John did warn me that if the unit is not used for a while then it needs a little warm up . So listened to Cerys on 6 Music on the Sunday morning and was honestly really surprised at how good it sounded and what a difference it made .

So much did it add to the music that I decided there and then I was going to buy this unit and I am now also looking out for another one to insert in my main system as well . I am sure that a Mutec will sound even better but I do not have the money to buy one of those even used , will keep an eye out for a bargain but doubt that will happen . I have not real clue as to why this works and why it adds so much that is good to the music but it does and given they can be bought for less than £200 in most cases then it is a very good way to get most of the benefits to sound quality of the Mutec but for much less .

[Jerry B]

I have recently bought a DDC.
Had been looking at the Gustard U18 and the Audio GD DI-20HE.

Was lucky to find an Audio GD DI-20HE for £450.
They are available from Magnahifi.
Even the Audio GD DI-20 is £460.

Have listened to it a couple of times.
Jaw dropping is the difference.

Have a friend who bought a Singxer SU6.
He says it's a nice addition to the system.
Describes it as holographic musicality. Greater depth, presence in the bass, lingering detail. A more spacious, organic analogue sound."

[Firebottle]

I think that's where the world supply of pixie dust goes, into all the DDC units.

'It shouldn't work' says Dopey, 'ah but it does' says Doc. It's a bit like a fairy tale but who cares?

I have the Mutec in the system, even that can be improved by removing the switch mode power supply and feeding it with a linear supply.

[Clive]

Have anyone here used a current tech reclocker / DDC with spdif? I used to use the original iFi one with an older DAC. I believe the Audio-GD does spdif as well as USB.

I must admit I got fed up with USB as it can be too finicky, due to noisy sources and how the USB input is powered in the DAC being used. Those DACs which use the source to power the USB input should derive a performance lift simply from the Audio-GD, even without reclocking. Has anyone quantified how much the PS for the USB does vs reclocking? It's a bit frustrating as the DAC itself should do all this internally...

[Bencat]

I only use the Audio GD with rca SPDIF in and BNC SPDIF out . In most of my systems I do not use USB as I have no DAC's or DSP units that accept a USB input . All the improvements I have noted is with SPDIF only . As far as I can tell most who use the Mutec also use either SPDIF or AES/EBU and not the USB input .

[Bencat]

@Jerry B That is a really good price for that unit and nice to hear that it works well . Will add both the standard and HE version in to my search for a used units and see if I can get one at a low price .

[Firebottle]

As far as I can tell most who use the Mutec also use either SPDIF or AES/EBU and not the USB input .

I use USB, SPDIF and optical inputs on my Mutec, as you say probably in the minority.

[struth]

i was using the IFI audio ipurifier 3 which removes noise and reclocks etc... was an excellent bit of kit.

[CageyH]

There are two versions of the DI-2014.
I have one with the upgraded clock.

[Bencat]

Well just an update on this I have owned the Audio GD for while now and have to say I love what it does and it is not getting removed from my three way active system any time soon . By chance i came across a Mutec 3+ USB unit on e-bay at a very sensible price far less than the current used rate and could not resist bought it . When it arrived it was always intended for my passive system with the Quad ESL 57 but I thought lets try it in my three way active system and see how it compares . Well the unit looks brand new but no matter how I connected it and changed the settings i could get any sound out . Sweating a bit now and worried that it was faulty I took it downstairs and plumbed it in to my passive system .

Very strange but having put the settings as they should be form the manual all the lights that should came on and that included the red Audio light and music came out of the speakers. Very strange but I left it playing and went back upstairs and put the Audio GD back in my active system and that worked first time as well . I know I should perhaps try again with the Mutec but to be honest as it will always be used in the passive system and works there I could not be bothered with all the faff of unplugging and replugging everything just to try and hear the difference .

Now give the poor ability of our audio memory this is only my comment on how I feel . In the active system I think the Audio GD adds more to the sound quality in that system than the Mutec does to my passive system . This is not suggesting the Audio GD is better as I have not heard what the Mutec can do in the active system because of the above problems . But I would certainly say that in the active system the Audio GD makes a very positive uplift which would be very hard to live with removing and this for much less than the Mutec cost wise . So I would still say to anyone interested keep an eye out for a used Audio GD it will give you quite a taste of what much more expensive units do and to my ears for that system it appears to offer more .