just coming back from 2 weeks of holidays and switching on my Vivaldi setup (DAC, Clock, Upsampler), the clock is showing the “CAL” logo. According to the manual i need to contact my dealer and distributor. I have done it and waiting for an answer (bank holidays in france today and lot of people on summer holidays).
Is there any option to bypass the clock in the configuration in order i can still use my system while we can fix the clock topic ?
The FAQ is saying that i can use the clock but not accurate but the reality is that if the Clock is connected the DAC is receiving the signal from the upsampler but the “mute” logo remains and cannot remove. If i switch off the clock, i can hear the music but not sure what kind of setup for the clock i need to select both on the upsampler and the dac.
Until your Vivaldi Clock is removed for servicing, it can be left in the system. While the performance is not as good as when the Clock has been calibrated, it will still be an improvement over removing it from the system. I would suggest leaving it in place for now.
When the Clock is removed to be serviced, the system can still be used with a few settings changes. Can you let me know what sources you use with your system, and I can advise how to get things set up from there?
Hello @James i edited my first post with information concerning what happens if i leave the clock inside and if i switch off. Thanks a lot for your support.
Is it happening often this CAL topic ? I bought the clock new from the official reseller on August 2019.
It isn’t a common occurrence no, it tends to happen with older units.
From what you have described, best to remove it until it is serviced. If you simply turn the Clock off and do not change the Sync mode setting on the DAC or Upsampler, the units will revert to Master / Audio Sync depending on source so audio will still play.
Can you let me know what sources you use with your system?
Il using a USB source in the upsampler or the network connection of the upsampler.
The dealers or distributors in France can manage it ?
Is it normal to have the « mute » logo on the DAC and not able to remove even playing from the upsampler (the format is recognized (DSD, DSD 2, pcm) but on mute and no sound.
Ludovic, you may be interested in the video posted here a couple of weeks ago. If you go to 22:49 you can see part of the process for calibration where the crystals are subjected to a large range of temperature variations.
In that case, the best way to set the system up without the Clock will be to leave the audio connections as is (I am assuming you use Dual AES from the Upsampler to the DAC), and connect a BNC clock cable from the Vivaldi Upsampler’s Wordclock Out to the DAC’s Wordclock In (can be on any input on the DAC).
Then, set the Upsampler to the Network input and change the Sync Mode setting to Master. Next, set the Upsampler to the USB input and again change the Sync Mode setting to Master.
Them, on the DAC, change the input to the Dual AES input you use with the Upsampler, and make sure the Sync Mode setting is set to Wordclock Auto (it should be on this setting anyway).
That should get you up and running without the Clock in the system.
The Clock will need to come back to the factory for recalibration as it needs to be put through the environmental chamber, which you can see in the video Pete has linked above.
No, but it isn’t normal in your system either as it sounds like that has only happened since the Clock started showing it needed calibration. I would say get the system set up like I have described above first, and let me know if it is still happening from there or if everything is working correctly.
I must say I am lost with my set up. Until I read your post I was pretty sure my Vivaldi system was set up the right way…
I got a Vivaldi Upsampler and a Vivaldi Dac, no external clock.
The Upsampler mode is W1 and the Dac Mode is M(small earth pictograme).
So, not as you recommend, I thought my set up was Dac is syncing the Upsampler, using the Dac clock as master clock.
Was I wrong ?
When I read your post I understand that the Upsampler is the master clock and that is a better set up.
I do mine the same as you, as this is how it is in the manual.
Dac out to upsampler in, and not the other way round.
Maybe we are both wrong, hopefully find out soon.
Cheers dunc
Hello @Dunc , i assume that in your case, you are setting the DAC as the Master while in what James mentioned, this is the upsampler that is the master. What is the best solution, perhaps something to try.
This is new to me and I look forward to James’ comments.
I have always understood that in this kind of setup the optimum place for timing is the point closest to where the conversion actually takes place. That would seem to suggest that the synchronised clock signal generated by the DAC would have precedence over that from Upsampler by offering lower jitter in the combination. Indeed if I go right back to Elgar and Purcell that was the recommendation from dCS in the user manual.
As for audibility then as this is subjective I would leave it to your personal experience.
Right, I will have to eat humble pie on this one and say I was wrong. My thinking was that having the system work with the either 44.1k or 48k word clock coming from the Upsampler would net better results than using the single fixed frequency coming from the Vivaldi DAC in Universal Master Mode.
However, using Universal Master Mode means the DAC does not have to use its phase detector at all as the DAC is the clock master, and we can simply feed the VCXO with a fixed control voltage. Overall that provides better results than locking the DAC to the Upsampler.
So please ignore my previous comment, stick to the setup recommended in the manuals and I will leave the thinking to the engineers
