Το κορυφαίο master clock της Esoteric.

[Mr Spock]

Το G1 παρουσιάστηκε στις αρχές της χρονιάς και είναι το κορυφαίο master clock της Esoteric. Ανήκει στην σειρά Grandioso και βασίζεται σε ταλαντωτή ρουβιδίου ακρίβειας ±0.00005ppm, ο οποίος σχεδιάστηκε με βάση της προδιαγραφές της εταιρίας.
Τα σήματα χρονισμού οδηγούνται στην έξοδο της συσκευής μέσω ενός νέου κυκλώματος το οποίο η εταιρία ονομάζει “Wide Range Clock Buffer Amplifier” και χρησιμοποιεί διακριτούς ημιαγωγούς μεγάλης ταχύτητας. Συνολικά, το G1 διαθέτει τέσσερα τέτοια buffer, κάθε ένα από τα οποίο διαθέτει το δικό του σταθεροποιημένο τροφοδοτικό. Η έξοδος της συσκευής έχει συχνότητα 10MHz (με ημιτονοειδή μορφή) και μπορεί να χρησιμοποιηθεί μόνο με ψηφιακές συσκευές που έχουν είσοδο σήματος χρονισμού με αντίστοιχες προδιαγραφές. Η Esoteric αναφέρει ότι σε όλες τις εξόδους μπορεί να επιλεγεί ένας νέος ρυθμός λειτουργίας, με την ονομασία “Adaptive Zero Ground”, ο οποίος εξασφαλίζει ότι η γείωση της γραμμής μεταφοράς βρίσκεται πραγματικά στα 0V, κάτι το οποίο, σύμφωνα με την Esoteric μειώνει το τυχαίο jitter που εισάγεται από την μικρές μεταβολές στο δυναμικό της γείωσης. Ένας διακόπτης για κάθε έξοδο, στην πίσω πλευρά της συσκευής, επιτρέπει την επιλογή μεταξύ του mode αυτού και της συνηθισμένης (Normal) λειτουργίας, ώστε ο χρήστης να μπορεί να επιλέξει την μέθοδο διανομής του κάθε σήματος clock, ανάλογα με την συσκευή.
Η ποιότητα των περιφερειακών εξαρτημάτων του G1 είναι αναλόγως υψηλή, με custom ομοαξονικά καλώδια και στρατιωτικών προδιαγραφών, επίχρυσους ακροδέκτες SMA στο εσωτερικό (ο ακροδέκτης Sub-Miniature A-type, είναι ένας ακροδέκτης ειδικά σχεδιασμένος για εφαρμογές RF), ενώ τα βύσματα BNC είναι κατασκευασμένα από μονοκόμματο ορείχαλκο.
Ο χρήστης, μέσω ενός διακόπτη στην πίσω πλευρά της συσκευής μπορεί να επιλέξει την πλήρη απενεργοποίησή της (σε περίπτωση που σκοπεύει να την αφήσει ανενεργή για μεγάλο χρονικό διάστημα) ή ένα stand-by mode κατά το οποίο ο ταλαντωτής ρουβιδίου εξακολουθεί να τροφοδοτείται, ώστε να μην απαιτείται προθέρμανση του G1 όταν αυτό χρησιμοποιείται σε τακτική βάση.

web: https://www.esoteric-highend.eu/


http://avmentor.gr/news/2017/esoteric_grandioso_g1.htm


http://www.esoteric.jp/products/esoteric/g1/indexe.html

Esoteric Announces Grandioso G1 Master Clock Generator

The following is a press release issued by Esoteric.

Upper Saddle River, NJ | February 21, 2017 - ESOTERIC announced a new Master Clock Generator in the Grandioso line, the Grandioso G1. (MSRP: $22,000 U.S.D.)

A truly three-dimensional audio experience delights the listener with a real sense of depth and conveys the actual feel of the high ceiling of a concert hall. High-end audiophiles know the excitement felt at the moment the first sound shatters the silence, the tense experience of impeccably tight focus, and the joy of music that feels so real you can almost touch it. After the last beautiful gradation of a lingering note has gently faded away and the system has concluded playback is when the true thrill of music really begins.

The role of a high precision clock is not to add something extra to your audio system. rather, it is to attain the maximum performance from the system in order to convey music that is as close as possible to the original.

The Grandioso G1 is the flagship model of the Esoteric master clock generator line, which combines all of our wisdom, technology and passion. It adopts a high precision rubidium oscillator with a frequency precision of +/- 0.05 ppb (parts per billion) and new technologies such as “Wide Range Clock Buffer Amplifiers” and “Adaptive Zero Ground” circuits to attain the very best in musical expression from your audio system.

About the Brand
The design goal of ESOTERIC is to recreate the original master sound. ESOTERIC is a high end audio manufacturer established in 1987. Based in Tokyo, all products (ranging from network audio players, SACD players, DACs to amplifiers) are hand built in our Tokyo factory to exacting standards. Cutting edge technologies, engineering excellence, state-of-the-art Japanese craftsmanship and passion for innovation, all coming together to unveil new dimensions in musical experience.


http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/esoteric-announces-grandioso-g1-master-clock-generator/

 

[wizzy]

Τι ακριβώς κάνει αυτή η συσκευή; Πώς χρησιμοποιείται;

 

[Mr Spock]

What Devices Need Clocking?
In a simple system featuring one audio interface with built-in mic preamps connected to a computer-based DAW, the interface clocks the DAW since the most clock-critical element of the audio chain is the A/D converter, as that’s built in to the interface. If you were to add an external digital device to the equation (reverb, multi-effects processor etc), it should be configured to work as a clock slave to the interface.

Following that logic, even in bigger and more complex studios, it’s generally best to use an A/D as the master clock. If there’s more than one of these you’ll need to decide which one to use as the master, and everything else will have to be slaved to that. It’s quite possible that there will be audible differences between various configurations, because most A/Ds will perform slightly differently when configured as clock master and slave.

External clocks are used in more elaborate systems with several A/D and digital outboard devices, making every device a slave to the centralized master clock. All master clock units provide numerous word clock outputs, and often several AES clocks too.

Another situation where a dedicated master clock unit is essential, is in systems that have to work with, or alongside, video, such as in music-for-picture and audio-for-video post-production applications. It’s necessary here because there must be a specific integer number of samples in every video picture-frame period, and to achieve that, the audio sample rate has to be synchronized to the picture frame rate.

Examples
I. Studio
Using a clock in the studio establishes synchronization of all digital effects processing units, the AD/DA converters and, if applicable, a digital desk. The simplest scenario and setup is: if the built-in clock of the converter is reliable and stable, it should be the master clock and all other devices that are slave devices. Alternatively, a stand-alone external clock, which is proven to be ultra stable, should be the clock master, distributing the clock source to all other digital devices.

Antelope Audio’s Isochrone OCX Master Clock is used to clock the Avid HD AD/DA converters

“I’ve used other clocks in the past and it’s good to know that everything is synced, but never noticed any real difference in sound quality. When I was mastering the new Underworld album with Miles at Metropolis he recommended the Antelope clocks as Metropolis recently purchased six Antelope Audio Trinity clocks and the 10M Atomic Clock from Unity Audio, and that I should check them out.”
Simon Gogerly, Grammy Award Winning Producer/Mixer

“Tracking and mixing back with the OCX-V/Atomic Clock combination is like taking earplugs out of your ears and hearing what is really being recorded and mixed for the first time. If there ever was a magic box, here it is.”
Devin Powers, Music Producer/Sound Designer

The use of more advanced external clocks are applied to more complicated setups. A larger studio with three control/live rooms, a mastering suite and a mixing room, can all be clocked with an external clock that is able to distribute different sample rates simultaneously. In this example, the Antelope Audio Isochrone 10M, a 10Mhz reference rubidium atomic clock, is clocking Antelope Audio’s Isochrone Trinity via BNC. The Trinity is then feeding the converters (Orion32) in three different control/live rooms with three independent sample rates. The clock source can be distributed through the Orion to the rest of the rooms digital equipment. The Isochrone 10M, is also distributing a different Orion32 directly, representing our mixing room, and an Eclipse384 which is in our mastering suite. All connections are achieved via BNC cables.

Clocking various rooms with different frequencies using Antelope Audio’s Trinity and 10M

“Truly astounding! In particular, the image is greatly improved. It’s wider and deeper, and the clarity is fantastic. Since they arrived at The Lodge, the Iscochrone 10M Atomic Clock and the OCX-V are probably the hardest working pieces of gear in our studios!”
Emily Lazar, Chief Mastering Engineer at The Lodge Mastering

“Initially, I had considerable confidence in my own studio system, but was taken by surprise the moment I connected the TRINITY. One clock had such a strong capacity to bring a three dimensional space and draw out the delicate subtleties of the audio. Then I wondered just how much better it could get if I connected the 10M to the TRINITY … and I was left with the feeling that I really needed to mix-down all my previous CDs ! This product combination dramatically improves sound reproduction quality in leaps and bounds. Once you hear the TRINITY+10M combo, it’s absolutely impossible to return to your prior set-up”
Hiromi Kubo, Recording Engineer

As previously mentioned clocks are used when dealing with audio-for-video, for sound design and soundtrack composition. This establishes a syncronisation between the video generator and the audio generator, ensuring that both media files are linked and syncronised. The sample rate is dependent on the frame rate and video format. The connectivity that applies in such scenarios, requires an external master clock, which allows sample rate pull up/down and video connectivity. At first the video generator will supply the word clock with a reference signal, and in turn the master clock distributes the clock source to the converters, the DAW and mixer.

Clocking connectivity when working with audio for video

“I noticed an immediate change in my soundspace the minute I heard the 10M plugged into my OCX-V. The stereo spread out, the edges were more clear, and the center seemed to come forward. I thought I had the best clock there is, and then Antelope took it a step farther into crazy time. I feel the solidity in my mixes, and in my whole system.”
David Kahne, Soundtrack Composer/Producer/Sound Designer

II. Live Sound

Antelope Audio’s Isochrone OCX in use in a live sound environment at Coachella 2013

In live sound engineering, the use of a master clock is essential when a digital desk is installed, which is in most cases as engineers like to save their presets when mixing for festivals or a touring band. The clock will ensure synchronization between the desk, the converters and any digital outboard effects units. Connectivity is simple in this case, as the master clock is distributing the source to the slaves (digital desk, converters and outboard units).

“The OCX does a fantastic job of stabilizing a digital mixing console when running high channel counts. Clocking your digital console with an Antelope clock is like turbocharging your desk. The difference between clocked and non-clocked audio is extremely noticeable.”
Patrick Mundy, Live Sound Engineer

“Upon hearing Deftones Digital Bath with the 10M and Trinity, it seemed like the PA had come alive after sleeping for years. The drums were life-like and it sounded like I was listening to the Deftones right in the rehearsal room. Immediately, I thought that the clock couldn’t be doing all of this, so I unplugged the BNC from console to Trinity. The sound seemed to escape and it reminded me of listening to the song through iPod headphones – thin and one road.”
Robert Dugan, Live Sound Engineer

The Isochrone 10M and Trinity ultra stable clocking combo in action

You can read the first part here.


http://en.antelopeaudio.com/2015/06/audio-master-clocks-fundamentals-and-application-notes-part-2/