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Computer-Driven Audio - Is it Superior to Optical-Based CD Playback?

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I am convinced that computers are the future of high-performance audio, and not optical discs. Besides having a number of ergonomic advantages, such as the ability to build play-lists of favorite tracks, organize music like a file... See more » I am convinced that computers are the future of high-performance audio, and not optical discs. Besides having a number of ergonomic advantages, such as the ability to build play-lists of favorite tracks, organize music like a file system and download tracks and artist information from the web, there are a number of technical reasons why this technology is inherently superior in performance, particularly when compared to the current generation of optical players. The current generation of CD and DVD players cannot compete with computer systems that are well implemented, but future generations may as they start to resemble computer-driven systems. The primary audio quality improvement that is possible with computer driven audio is a significant reduction in jitter over that of optical disk systems. Jitter Jitter is an attribute of digital signals, particularly clocks that impart the timing to the data that is being moved from point A to point B in any synchronous digital system. Clocks in digital systems are like real-time clocks in that each clock occurrence or "tick" is designed to occur at a particular time cadence, like the seconds ticking on a clock. At each clock "tick," the digital system either performs processing on some digital data or moves it one step further to get it from point A to point B. Jitter can be described as the time variability of a single clock event, where this event can occur either before or after the exact point in time where it is expected to occur. Jitter is synonymous with seconds ticking away on a clock but with individual ticks not occurring at exact one-second intervals. Some are slightly less than a second and some are slightly longer than a second, the average of all the seconds being exactly a second, so no actual time is being gained or lost over a large number of seconds. The jitter is the difference between the shortest and the longest second. Jitter in digital audio systems is measured in nanoseconds, and even picoseconds. All synchronous digital systems have both data and timing attributes. In certain systems, such as computers where most transactions require only that the data arrive intact, jitter in the clock is actually not important, assuming that the timing requirements of the chips are met. The clock is only used to move the data from point A to point B, and the arrival time of each individual data word can vary to some extent without impacting the function. This is described as non-real-time. Actually most modern personal computers intentionally insert jitter into the master clock of the computer in order to limit the RF emissions from the computer, and thereby pass FCC testing. This is desirable if you want to sell any computers. Digital audio systems however are different because they use both the data and the timing of the clock to reproduce the original recording. The data stream is transferred "real-time." The timing must match the original sample-rate used when the recording was made to accurately re-create the analog signal. The data words are clocked into the D/A converter at this constant rate. Both the frequency and the jitter of the clock can affect the accuracy of the reproduction. The frequency, if not accurate, can cause pitch and speed of the music to change, and in some systems cause drop-outs if there is no data available when it is expected. Jitter manifests itself as frequency modulation, which can be audible as well. Several studies have been published that measured jitter and tried to correlate it to audibility. Like most audiophile studies, these are not without controversy. Like all listening tests, the accuracy of these tests is very dependent on the system attributes and the recording used for the testing as well as the listeners' hearing acuity. In any case, these tests have shown some jitter to be audible, in the tens of nanoseconds anyway. I believe it is much more insidious than this result. I believe that the spectra (frequency content) of the jitter has a lot to do with its audibility. In my own reference system I have made improvements that See less »

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From the list : Home System by stralkin

overview of hi quality computer sound

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Computer-Driven Audio - Is it Superior to Optical-Based CD Playback?

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