Would an external clock “help” in this signal chain?

I actually have that cable running to my R26. Are they normally quite stiff? I bought it used and am always concerned of knock offs. 
 

The Hypex NCx500 has incredible detail but  I know D class can be kinda hard/cold or perhaps just “dry”. Add to that a Sonic Frontiers Line 2 preamp and I’m probably neutral/clinical and do wish I had a bit more bloom/smoothness (warmth?) despite the Linton 85th loudspeakers. I’m probably just too used to tube amps and dirty power supplies and forgetting how far I’ve come.
 

One more clue: the system loses some detail but gains a nice nuance with an SL1200 table, Archomat platter mat and retipped (sapphire?) Denon D103r. It’s run through > Parks Waxwing > RCA into Sonic Frontiers Preamp. 
 

I tried the optical out, coax and rca on the Waxwing into the Gustard and it doesn’t sound as good - stripped down overly clean or something. Just loses its soul.  

To be clear the table sounds best via rca to the SF preamp skipping over the Gustard. I even tried running Waxwing via RCA, Optical and Coax into the WiiM Ultra and again just felt like it lost character/naturalness  

Another observation is that if I run the SU6 RCA to the SF preamp it just sounds congested vs XLR. The SF pre is known for greater clarity via XLR I’ve read and my experience attests to that too.

So as it stands I’d like to get a little more syrup on my digital plate. The Hypex brings so much to the party but if there’s anything to put on my radar I’m interested! Just in case the Pontus 15 isn’t the entirety of the equation!

Thanks again:)

@machine7 

I’m a little late on this thread

Dumb question:  are you getting the same harshness with CDs or vinyl?

@boulder_bob 

my apologies I didn’t realize anyone had replied here. 
vinyl is much smoother sonically running through a Parks Waxwing TT preamp. You raise a very interesting point! I’ll have to try some combinations with a CD player and will report back. Any ideas are welcome!

I picked up a Cardas Clear USB cable for the WiiM Ultra to Singxer SU6 connection and it made a significant difference in smoothing things out. Hard to believe a cable can make so much difference, even if I say the same thing every time one does. I had tried a few USB cables and didn’t think it would make any difference but they were all half the price of the well regarded Cardas. 
 

I also tried a Pontus 15th as that is said to be smoother than an R26. Sure enough it is. More air and bloom. So I picked up a Starkrimson amp. It’s much more class A sounding with nice bloom in some areas and loss of detail in others compared to the Buckeye. But it’s still breaking in. It’s certainly a less technical sounding amp. More bloom and sweetness. Sound stage further away with more depth.