Playback Designs USBX4

HORLOGE PB usbxX4 pour entrer en usb et sortir en fibre optique link plus de bruit numérique le son devient équivalent au cd voir meilleur
vendu avec alimentation farad super 3 et câble dc niveau 2 Plaqué or 5.5/2.5

PB USB clock x4 for USB input and optical fiber output; no more digital noise, the sound becomes equivalent to CD or even better
So, we listened together critically. Our listening was to Pure DSD256 files from Yarlung and TRPTK which we knew well, plus an orchestral recording in DXD (the original edit master file) and a solo piano recording in DXD from Channel Classics. These are all superb recordings with immensely good sound quality. We limited our critical comparative listening to just about one minute of each file to help preserve some sense of aural memory.

We listened to all four selections first with the USB-X4 Interface in the system, then with the USB connection only. The same USB cable was used in both sessions, we just moved it from the USB-X4 input to the MPD-8 input and switched input selections at the MPD-8's control panel.

After the first round of comparison, I asked Ann if she'd like to go back to hearing the system with the USB-X4 installed once again. Her reply was, "What's the point? The improvement in sound quality with the USB-X4 in the system is so immediately apparent, so overwhelmingly apparent, I don't have any need to listen further."

Oh. Well, what do you hear?

"With the USB-X4 in the system, there is just greater clarity. The instruments sound more natural and more alive. When we took the USB-X4 out of the system and listened to the orchestral work again, those opening chords sounded dead by comparison. With the USB-X4, the sound is alive."

Both Ann and I are hearing the same things with the USB-X4. The sound opens up, instrumental timbre is more readily apparent, there is more silence between the notes, there is more air and openness to the sound, there is overall a greater clarity to the sound of the instruments and to the acoustic environment of the recording venue. While our critical comparative listening session was short, I've been listening for two weeks to all kinds of music as I listen for my music reviews every day. What we agreed we heard in this critical comparative session is exactly what I've been hearing all along. We've now just put a period on it.

When starting out on this exercise, we both expected to hear some difference, but we expected it would be subtle. After listening, we agree the improvement is NOT subtle. The difference is significant. Ann said, "Tell Andreas I am very, very impressed!" And she then asked, "How much does this baby cost?" Oh, my. When she asks, one knows she's been hooked by what she's heard.

Some concluding thoughts

First, be reminded that this is a proprietary Playback Designs device that only works with other Playback Designs equipment using their PLINK optical connection. It works out of the box with the more recent generations of their equipment: Dream series, Edelweiss series, and Sonoma series. On special order the USB-X4 can be programmed to be compatible with their older 5-series products. My expectation is that it will provide the same type of improvement to the sound as we're hearing with the Dream Series MPD-8.

Second, you might be better off making the plunge to it's bigger brother, the Edelweiss Streamer MPS-X which provides the same functionality, plus an exceptional linear power supply that may further improve results, plus streaming connections from the internet (such as Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer and vTuner that
can be controlled via an app on a tablet) and from network attached storage. For those who use Roon, Andreas tells me the MPS-X is a Roon-ready device. The USB-X4 does nothing with Roon all by itself.