I certainly would not want to offend anyone with my comments.
But I'm reading a lot of opinions about I2S, OCXO clocking, and master clocks.
I have no doubt that those of you who have heard this or that component with OCXO clocking or I2S inputs or master clocks and preferred the way they sounded are 100% correct. But that doesn't mean that all components with those inputs, outputs, or clocking sound better. There are too many other factors.
I2S was never intended for component-to-component data transfer. If you don't believe me, why don't you look up the Audio Engineering Society's specification on I2S which clearly states that it should not be used for distances over 4" and that it is only intended for inside of a DAC chassis.
Personally I would trust the Audio Engineering Society over any audiophile fad.
Show me any equipment used in recording studios that uses I2S between components: last I checked it doesn't exist. The preferred data transfer between components in recording studios is still balanced AES.
Consider what I2S actually is doing and decide for yourself if it is even logical.
The proponents of I2S claim that clocking which is embedded into the data stream can become corrupted during data transfer. So how would it make sense that by having data embedded with clocking along with a bit clock and a word clock could synchronize better?!?!?!?
If the clocking embedded in the data gets corrupted, then the data would be corrupted, and the data could not synchronize with the other two I2S clocks.
Think about it.
Not to mention the fact that all Audio Engineering Society standard digital music transfer protocols have the clocking embedded into the data stream. Yes, USB, S/PDIF, AES, Ethernet, etc., all have clocking embedded into the data stream.
That would mean that the internet music streaming services that most people are using have clocking embedded into the data stream and the data stream is traveling cross-country.
Do you really think that after the clocking embedded in the data stream has traveled for miles and miles and miles over the internet that isolating clocking for 1 meter by doing I2S from your streamer to your DAC is going to correct something?
LOL!
As for OCXO clocking or master clocks that's another common misconception.
OCXO clocks were never originally engineered for high-end audio. They were engineered for electronics that are subject to extreme weather conditions such as those used in submarines, aircraft, missiles, rockets, and polar expedition vehicles.
Some audio engineers discovered that OCXO clocks had lower hash noise in the audible spectrum and started to use them.
But OCXO clocks are generally less accurate than femto and other clocks engineered for high-end audio. So using OCXO clocks is generally a tradeoff.
Consider the problem with clocking noise is that it pollutes the other power supplies inside of the DAC. This is one of the main reasons why external master clocks are used: they completely isolate the clocks power supply from the power supplies inside of the DAC and other digital components.
At Mojo Audio we take a different approach: the LC choke input power supplies we use in our analog power supplies are so much better isolated than those other companies use that clocking hash noise from our femto clocking can't corrupt it.
This way we get the best of all worlds: the increased accuracy of femto clocking, less clocking noise in our analog power supplies, and less clocking corruption than happens with external master clocks connected by long cables.
Also note that our AES and coaxial inputs have no internal clocking or reclocking.
That way you can hear the full benefit of whatever the clocking is in your CD transport or streamer.
That's why customers and reviewers who have used our DACs with uber CD transports like the Jay's CDT-3 MkIII tell us the sound rivals or beats their vinyl rig.
We even have a unique USB lift switch that eliminates 100% of the clocking inside of our DAC chassis when using the AES or coaxial inputs.
Bottom line: I recommend that you trust your ears.
Customer after customer and reviewer after reviewer have compared the sound of Mojo Audio DACs using our USB, AES, or coaxial inputs to most of the popular DACs who use I2S or Ethernet inputs or OCXO or master clocks and they have consistently preferred the sound of our DACs.
I think that says it all.