Is usb reclocking necessary?

I think the Ayre's USB interface is powered by the DAC power supply so it doesn't draw anything from the computer. A filter for the power lines would be useless.

When DAC is self powered, then USB power is not necessary but GND connection is still required since single ended (GND referenced) signaling is used at the start.  It might be possible to lift the GND after music started playing as long as data common mode stays within input range.

That depends. Re-clocking reduces jitter. If you have a sufficiently good DAC ($$$ is not always good or sophisticated), the jitter is already handled - maybe better than the re-clocker. I did see some test data that indicates that many reclockers are not all that good.

However, jitter makes a big difference. Since I am beginning the process of DAC design, i started by adding USB interfaces to two old, but excellent in the day, DACs that were S/P DIF only (one step ahead of smoke signals).

Holy smoke signals batman! What an improvement. OK, OK, low bar, yea, but it goes to show the fundamental issue we’re dealing with.


Now if you reclocker is <<< than your mega-bucks DAC, it ought to, uh, worsen jitter.
Its neither magic nor rocket science. Its jitter, which is the X-axis in the Cartesian system that translates a digital code to an analog waveform.

If you have a 10 MHz hook up on your dac it for sure makes it better in every way it fleshes out more in the recordings.

I have the SOtM SMS-200 Ultra Neo as streamer and the Wyred4Sound USB reclocker made the sound worse.

Before trying USB reclocking, I would strongly advice you to get a good DDC (like the Audio-GD DI-20HE), before the DAC, mostly if it has I2S input, no to reclock the USB signal, but to convert it to an easier digital signal for the DAC to shine at it's Best.

Another good improvement is the Uptone Etherregen switch.

Also using a 10 Mhz master clock with everything you can in the digital chain will help considerably. Both, the DI-20HE and Uptone Etherregen accept external master clocking and improve with it.

Also antivibration and AC treatment help A LOT.