Topic: UCX SteadyClock

Hello.
I'm an owner of RME UCX device.
I'm wondered, does my UCX internal clock ignore the clock of an external DAC (using it via optical Spdif) or the external DAC may reclock and oversample the signal again after UCX? What if the external DAC works in Asynchronous mode too, upsample and reclocks an incoming signal (due to its manual)?

Also I cannot find any information about timings of the UCX SteadyClock. The newer RME devices operates in an area called femtosecond. In what area does my UCX operate? Picosecond/nanosecond? Does it have SteadyClock I, II or III?

Just trying to have a general understanding of its clocking process!

2 (edited by ramses 2020-12-29 14:37:22)

Re: UCX SteadyClock

The UCX has no Sample Rate converter in Hardware, so it can only be clock master or clock slave.

For operational reasons I prefer to have the recording interface as clock master, which is connected to the PC and has TM FX routing capabilities. Because then the Application (DAW, MusicPlayer) can set the clock rate for a project. And then the UCX and all other digitally connected interfaces behind the UCX learn sample rate automatically from the clock master.

So if you would connect now an ADI-2 Pro/DAC to the UCX via ADAT, then it will receive the clock from the master via ADAT, but then because of SteadyClock it would refresh the clock and for its own D/A conversion it would use finally its own internal FS clock.

FS delivers measurable but not audible better results. FS is simply being chosen for newer devices, because FS clocks are now available for a better price than in the past (because it's available, not because it's necessarily needed for better sound or quality).

Along with the ADI-2 Pro I think that it started that the term "SteadyClock III" was introduced. Most likely because the FS clocks are now there in some products. But as it doesn't seem to be audible from what I read here in this forum, its at the end of the day more or less irrelevant.

If you have an UCX as clock master and an ADI-2 Pro or DAC it will simply work... No reason to be worried in any way.
And if you connect your monitors and phones to the ADI-2 Pro / DAC behind the UCX, then digital audio would be D/A converted anyway with the internal FS clock, even if UCX is master, because Steadyclock receives the clock, refreshes it internall and D/A conversion takes place with its own (FS) clock.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: UCX SteadyClock

Thank you for clarifying, ramses! It's very helpful.

But still any comments about timings, UCX SteadyClock - in what area does it operate? Maybe somebody from RME can clarify it?
Is it picoseconds, nanoseconds? Just interesting to know.

Arsen.

4 (edited by ramses 2020-12-30 23:28:13)

Re: UCX SteadyClock

Please read this information: https://www.rme-audio.de/steadyclock-fs.html
and the technical section in the manual, here from your UCX:

38.3 Digital
• Clocks: Internal, SPDIF In, ADAT In, word clock in
• Low Jitter Design: < 1 ns in PLL mode, all inputs
• Internal clock: 800 ps Jitter, Random Spread Spectrum
• Jitter suppression of external clocks: > 30 dB (2.4 kHz)
• Effective clock jitter influence on AD and DA conversion: near zero
• PLL ensures zero dropout, even at more than 100 ns jitter
• Digital Bitclock PLL for trouble-free varispeed ADAT operation
• Supported sample rates: 28 kHz up to 200 kHz

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

5 (edited by avr90 2021-01-03 12:45:20)

Re: UCX SteadyClock

Thank you, ramses!
I wish you a happy New Year.
Arsen.