What does Jitter sound like?

Like some deleterious affects in audio, it may be easier to appreciate & to describe in its absence. Sometimes you don't know what you got till its gone. But dancing angels it most definitely is not.

if anecdotal observations are not taken seriously, what is the purpose of asking for advice to assist in the purchase of components ?

there are many threads on this and other discusssion forums asking for opinions on a variety of topics. the elicited opinions would be based upon the perceptions of audiogon members. if such perceptions are too be discounted as to their worth, what is to be gained from initiating threads whose basis is listening experience ?

Amen Mrtennis.

My listening tests relating to the perception of jitter were gathered through four generations of clock upgrades within one CDP-- eliminating all other variables (except for cognitive dissonance), and disposing of all controversies regarding the quantitative measurement of jitter. A separate set of observations was formed through successive upgrades of DC power to clock, and to the digital sections of the player including motor/servo, PLLs, and LSI DSPs. This exercise led from simple stock 3-pin regulators, to sophisticated discrete regulator circuits, to batteries, to larger low-impedance batteries, to batteries with capacitance, to batteries with massive capacitance. To those entrenched in the "data is data" camp, I suggest disposing of theory & gambling a few hundred dollars on a simple clock upgrade and report back to the forum.

In the course of five years of developing the CDP, I've corresponded with perhaps a dozen amateur and professional modders who were all impressed(some to amazement) by the improvements associated with clock upgrades in otherwise respectable CDPs. There has been no criticism of the results of a clock upgrade.

Anyone seeking a more professional approach should visit Steve N's site, take a look at his Pace-Car product, note which clocks he uses, how he uses them, and how they are powered.

If you think that RBCD sounds synthetic or fatiguing or that the resolution of RBCD can't approach the musicality of vinyl, then you're probably hearing jitter.

I suggest disposing of theory & gambling a few hundred dollars on a simple clock upgrade and report back to the forum.

What would you suggest that would be a few hundred dollars and would make an immediately obvious improvement? I have four mega-changers, a Blu-Ray player and some standalone CD players stacked in storage...I have more than enough gear to make a controlled A/B comparison from the listening position using a remote (if it is simply jitter correction). For a few hundred I would be willing to dispose of theory.

Shadorne, I suggest speaking with Kyle at Reference Audio Mods 951-780-2869 about a Superclock for one of your devices. The SC4 retails for $300 and there are probably cheaper used or old-stock SC3s. I have no experience with budget players, but reportedly he has had decent results with Oppo and others under $500.