Anyone has heard the Bel Canto REFLink Asynchronou

I have had the REFLink for about a week and a half and I'm pretty impressed. I've been running it 24/7 and probably still breaking in but in my system the improvement to stringed instruments has been significant. Sense of space has also improved as well as localization of individual sounds in space. Transients are still precise but the digital edge has been removed. I've heard it described as being organic sounding and I would very much agree, organic with greater detail. Is it analog sounding? I would say it is very, very good digital. I can say that my computer based system with the REFLink is the best digital I have owned.

Using with an Esoteric AI-10 integrated/DA converter, 09 iMac with Decibel media player, and Tyler D2 speakers. Power, speaker, and digital cables are all Acoustic Zen Absolute. USB cable from iMac to reflink is Audioquest cinnamon.

When I bought my e.One DAC 2.5 3 months ago, I asked a salesperson at Audio Vision SF which Bel Canto converter he would recommend as an upgrade for the 2.5's USB input, he said "the mLink will give you the most bang for your buck".

My interpretation of our conversation was that the uLink would be OK for the 2.5, but not a big enough jump in sound quality to justify the uLink's price. And for the price of the REFLink, that would be too big of a price to pay for the (limited) upgrade to the 2.5.
Point being is that you would be better off buying the 3.5 DAC VB II than buying the DAC 2.5 and the REFLink together.

Ok, so I am using the Light Link with the Bel Canto Dac 3.5 mrk ll VBS. Using Amarra Symphony, I am really impressed. So, I would like to hear from those of you that have had a chance to compare the two. Also, I would like to know how
long the run in time is for the Reflink. Interestingly, when I had my Dac 3.5 upgraded to the mrk ll version, it took a good 500 hours for it to settle in.

The uLink and REFLink reduce jitter to 50 femtoseconds.

This is not true. The value you are quoting is a clock (crystal oscilator) jitter. The clock is just a part of a greater whole, chence the total jitter, as measured at SPDIF out will be much greater.

The converter with the lowest measured jitter at the SPDIF out I have seen is the Audiophilleo - 2ps or thereabouts.

The problem in measuring jitter on such a low level is the cost of the equipment needed, which can easily exceed $100k. Very, version few hifi companies even have such an equipment.

That said, the BelCanto REFLink seems to be a very well engineered product. It uses the ultra low phase noise clocks, made by Crystek. The first converter that used those were BADA Alpha USB, which is even more elaborate in trerms of measures taken to isolate the computer from the DAC. The downside - it costs $300 more.

I highly recommend anyone interested in top quality converter to include the BADA Alpha USB on his short list.

Scottmac62.

Without a doubt, with the RefLink, your DAC3.5VBMkII will be significantly improved, right out of the box. Just simply base on the 192K capability on the RefLink over the LightLink 96K limitation is good enough reason for you to upgrade. The RefLink provide me the best sound I could get from the DAC3.5VBMkII.

(Audio)