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All about Clocks in CD players

In 1983 the new medium of CD was launched. Its inventors, Phillips and Sony defined the standard to which all CD clocks should aspire. The clock in any CD player could be described as the heart of the unit. All stages of the retrieval and reconstruction process that take place are controlled by, and are referred to it. It follows therefor that any inaccuracy in that clock will cause erroneous reconstruction of the music encoded within the disc. The 'Class 1' (i.e. most accurate) standard set by Phillips and Sony states that all clocks should possess an accuracy to within 50 parts per million. In fact most CD players work with lesser accuracy of between 100 and 250 parts per million. Even so called "High End" CD players have clocks fitted to this standard. We should know, having replaced many of them. At 5 parts per million, the Trichord Clock 4 is ten times more accurate than the 'Class 1' standard. This 5 parts per million specification is measured over the temperature range of 0 to +70 degrees C, so at a normal running temperature of around 20 - 30 degrees C the Clock 4 will measure well within 2 parts per million.

Reduction of jitter is crucial, but that is not the only reason why thousands of our customers have bought it. They have done so because it enables the decoding of digital information from a CD to be amuch more accurate process, allowing the reproduction of all the nuances and subtleties in music that inaccurate clocks destroy. The Clock 4 System will upgrade your CD player or CD transport to new levels of resolution, sound staging and rhythmic coherence.

We are often asked why CD player manufacturers have not woken up to the fact and fit a more accurate clock to their own machines. The answer is simply cost and ignorance. Why should they fit a better clock when the one they use already complies to the industry benchmark, and will take their product to the next price point, making it to their mind, uncompetitive.

The Trichord 'Clock 4 System' comprises of two separate items: a 'Clock 4' oscillator module, and a dedicated mains derived 'Power Supply'. Both developed using the latest in surface mount and hybrid module technology. This oscillator produces a very precise square wave for all the relevant circuitry in the player to time from. CD sample rate is 44.1 KHz. If the master oscillator in the CD player is not synchronized properly to this frequency, then the time period required by the rest of the digital circuitry will be inaccurate. The more accurate the clock, the more precise the information retrieval and reconstruction process. The more accurate the reconstruction process, the more information you will extract from your CD collection, and the closer you will get to the original performance.

A second, but equally important effect of 'Clock 4' is the reduction of data related jitter. It has been shown by using spectral analysis, that a reduction of five times' data related jitter is possible by the inclusion of a 'Clock 4 System' in a player that has recorded high levels of this form of jitter. Players that have exhibited relatively low levels of data related jitter have shown a complete elimination with a 'Clock 4 System' fitted. The sonic advantages of reducing jitter are many, including reduced phasiness, glare and harshness, with an increase in dynamics, resolution and soundstaging.

The 'Clock 4' module and 'Clock 4 Power Supply' are available separately. It is possible to fit just the 'Clock 4' module and run it from the players own power supply, and then fit the 'Clock 4 Power Supply' at a later date.

Trichord Research, or a Trichord Research Dealer will undertake to fit 'Clock 4' or 'Clock 4 Systems' upon request. Also available in kit form complete with instructions for the technically competent. (We strongly advise that you let us, or one of our dealers carry out the modification if you have any doubts whatsoever)

When ordering a kit please state either the players make and model, or the frequency of 'Clock 4' required
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