Cybershaft new top model 10M clocks : UPOCXO-OP20A/OP21A

CKKeung

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Jun 17, 2011
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CKKeung

Well-Known Member
Jun 17, 2011
3,053
3,172
1,410
Hong Kong
These 2 top models employ new OCXO modules.

4 outputs will satisfy the most demanding home CAS audiophiles :
- 2 switches,
- 1 SOtM tx-USBultra,
- the last output is for the dCS Vivaldi Clock or Esoteric Clock!

Perfect!
 

SCAudiophile

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Sep 11, 2010
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These 2 top models employ new OCXO modules.

4 outputs will satisfy the most demanding home CAS audiophiles :
- 2 switches,
- 1 SOtM tx-USBultra,
- the last output is for the dCS Vivaldi Clock or Esoteric Clock!

Perfect!

And 2 different grounding options per output.

Looks like the bar just got raised again!
 

CKKeung

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SCAudiophile

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Sep 11, 2010
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435
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Greer South Carolina (USA)
Mono and stereo, the wonders of copy and paste...

Yes,...just like many other sites out there; very little original writing being done these days.

An then there's Twitter, Facebook and the like...:p
 

CKKeung

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Jun 17, 2011
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This new OP21A is super popular!

Afterdark is the retailer in Hong Kong.
His 1st lot pre-order has already been full!
Posted for a few days only!
:eek:
 

CKKeung

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The first lot of the new OP21A for Hong Kong has arrived!

IMG-20191123-WA0039~2.jpg
IMG-20191123-WA0040~2.jpg

My friend turned it on for only 1 hour and listened.
It bettered his well burned-in Limited2 OP20 already!
:eek:
 

SCAudiophile

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Sep 11, 2010
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That's beautiful...have 2 friends, one in US ordered an OP21A, the other an OP20A,...should be interesting to hear their feedback after they install!

What 50-ohm cable is that in the picture?
 
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CKKeung

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CKKeung

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Jun 17, 2011
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Listened to an OP21A last night.
A great 10M clock!

20191205_210303~4.jpg

Unfortunately my Mutec Ref10 SE-120 owner friend belongs to another audiophile friend group and it's impossible to organize a direct comparison between these two top audiophile 10M clocks.
The Mutec Ref10 SE-120 is so hot lately!
 

justubes

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Aug 10, 2015
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Since upgrading to the Mutec Ref10 -120db/hz which is similar with the specs of the Cybershaft OP20.

The sonics brought forth, does have a edge over the standard Ref10 in all areas.

Subtly, there is more of everything i remember from going from no clock to a better clock and again to a -120db/hz clock, a step in the same direction.

The improvement brought forth are unlike vastly different sonic presentations that can be achieved from using different brands of clock cables, where a particular sonic presentation will prevail, regardless of clock used.

Apart from saying it is better overall, i was and am continuingly stunned as well as more than just pleased that what i can now clearly pick out that the biggest improvement, that is, the bass which now goes an octave lower at least, and the energy in the low regions imparts such ferocity, tightly focussed bass energy much like the unmistakable exhaust grunt of a V12 engine, well at least a V8!

Totally thrilled, together with the correct configuration of my various clock cables( i use a total of 9 clock cables being 3 X Shunyata Sigma clock 50, 1 X Sigma 75, 1 each of Acrolink/ Esoteric DA6100 and DA 5100, 1 X Sotm DBCL50 , 1 X Cybershaft 50 ohm-11 feet and 1 X VH Audio Pulsar in my clock configuration.

All this disciplined my the fine Mutec Ref10 120db/hz.

The bass energy is now just mind blowing, my 12" woofers sounds to have grown to at least a 13 and a half inch driver!

The bass is not only lower packed with energy, it is as if the midbass has followed that octave downward, deep and abundant with energy.

This is unlike where lower bass one encounters with a larger speaker with one size up bass drivers, where the punch or midbass energy lessens to some extent revealing low bass notes in typically in 3 way speaker designs.

I cannot say how this transforms in a speaker setup with smaller bass drivers, less bass?

Just fantastic, utterly!
 

diaZ

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Dec 30, 2019
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I took a look inside my new clock Cybershaft OP 20A.

And there is one huge advantage to all the other utimative clocks available:

You can connect it to an external linear power supply.

Mr. Kenji Hasegawa wrote to me:

„ Regarding the external power supply, we think that it is a measure against the very weak vibration by the internal transformer and the weak electromagnetic wave.
I think that the use of an external power supply can change in a better direction.
The OP20A has a cooperative filter (LT3045) that removes noise from the external power supply.
We will also release a dedicated external power supply within 2 months. The price is assumed to be around 40.000 yen.“


For my next step I ordered today one LPS:
L044 16 V Auralic Widder DC LPS, this one can be regulated with the internal poti to the demanded 14 Volts to 16 Volts.
And it can be upgraded with an adittional internal MKP-ZN capacitor. E1A865C1-0235-4B8F-86D5-022E91AD18DA.jpeg

Meanwhile I enjoy the the shocking awesome difference in all the different musical details in comparison to my former OP14 clock.
 

CKKeung

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Jun 17, 2011
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Hong Kong
I took a look inside my new clock Cybershaft OP 20A.

And there is one huge advantage to all the other utimative clocks available:

You can connect it to an external linear power supply.

Mr. Kenji Hasegawa wrote to me:

„ Regarding the external power supply, we think that it is a measure against the very weak vibration by the internal transformer and the weak electromagnetic wave.
I think that the use of an external power supply can change in a better direction.
The OP20A has a cooperative filter (LT3045) that removes noise from the external power supply.
We will also release a dedicated external power supply within 2 months. The price is assumed to be around 40.000 yen.“


For my next step I ordered today one LPS:
L044 16 V Auralic Widder DC LPS, this one can be regulated with the internal poti to the demanded 14 Volts to 16 Volts.
And it can be upgraded with an adittional internal MKP-ZN capacitor. View attachment 60385

Meanwhile I enjoy the the shocking awesome difference in all the different musical details in comparison to my former OP14 clock.
Hello diaZ,
Please share with us the result of adding an ext LPS to your OP20A.

BTW and IMHO although the L044 16V Auralic Widder DC LPS is a good buy, the OP20A/21A are so good that they deserve a top LPS such as the Clones PowerStation Deluxe or a Paul Hynes.
:)
 
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diaZ

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Dec 30, 2019
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Dear CKKeung,

report will come.

The Clones Power Station Deluxe is surely a much better LPS compared to the L044.

Thats what Kenji Hasegawa also wrote about external LPS:

„The OP20A has a cooperative filter (LT3045) that removes noise from the external power supply.
As a result, the external power supply does not require an expensive product.“

So I want to start with the L044.

The external LPS will be an interesting point with Cybershafts OP20A/21A.
Hope others will also report about this potential improvement.
 
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justubes

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Aug 10, 2015
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You really do not need to get an exotic power supply.

From the diagram and what Kenji means that an external power supply will be supplying the 1st stage voltage to the LT 3045 regulators, so sure there will be a difference changing out the 1st stage power which is double regulated via the LT3045 so there will be sort of a limitation as tomhow much the sound will change.

If a different supply could replace the LT3045 regs to the circuits, yes, the sonic flavour will radically change with the different supplies if this was a direct power as the 2nd stage will always impart the sonic print to the unit.

Hope to hear updates how it goes. Cybershaft has a very nice r-core transformer used and possibly the bigger gains come more from the isolation from having the transformer in the same chassis.

Do pay more attention to having good isolation feet for both the external supply and clock.
 
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diaZ

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Dec 30, 2019
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Hello Justtubes,

thank you for all these informations.
Yes, groundisolation from vibrations is very important, probably even more with the relative lightweight Cybershaft unit.

Your Mutec Ref10-120 has a huge EMV filter implemented.
As you can see in the picture, the Cybershaft r-core transformer is directly wired to the AC inlet,
another reason for a possible improvement with the external power supply.

Reading your impressions with the Mutec Ref10-120 seemed to me at first a bit enthusiastic.
Only now, with the new Cybershaft OP20A in my chain, I completely can understand what you experienced.
Your description is en pointe. Thanks!
 

justubes

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2015
211
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273
Now having more time with a op20 level clocking as a master which effectively feeds 9 components.

My ears have acclimated to the new benefits of the Mutec op20 clock upgrade.

I have since added optical isolation from the streamer to the dac.

A nifty little pair of Audiowise Opto dx's to the chain primarily to allowing the future reconnection of my cd transport and 2nd backup streamer which has along with a new rack but to be placed a distance away, which would have required at least an addition of a new 2.5m digital cable.

I have been rewarded by a smoother and more open sound, without any loss of detail.

With optimisation of power supply and a new dc cable?using the Dalby audio copper and fused silver coated 320s silk cable.

This change has lead to an explosion of the soundstage which i would not imagine given my speaker size and room dimension.

Never has any change, tweak, room acoustics treatment, cable or device over the years given such a dramatic difference.

Can this be due to the result of addition of just 1 rather inexpensive dc?

This leaves me scratching my head and tearing my brains to figure how could this be.

Whilst i attribute the catalyst of just one Dalby wire as a dc cable added to the upstream chain.

Reality has struck me and possibly what is the proverbial "can of worms" or as it is ”slice of new year cake” is the result of the low phase noise propogating and unmasked throughout the entire chain allowing an experience not only as if the skys have parted and here in my room, allowing a gilmpse of the Stratosphere!

Don't expect any low phase noise clock to do wonders, but with much care care, optimisation and matching of level of equipment is that only after the downstream bottleneck has been cleared makes way of upstream changes to be magnified ten fold!

It was indeed my quest over the years to optimise every bit of clocking in my complex chain and at this level, the addition of the Mutec OP20 has indeed brought the rewards i can only have dreamed of previously.
 

CKKeung

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Jun 17, 2011
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Please read #168 and #179 on :
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...hootout-op20-vs-op17.26610/page-9#post-621539

BTW at the end of the session we tried some tweaks on the OP21A and its performance improved further!
Those are Stillpoints Ultra5 footers underneath the OP21A.
20200111_160213_HDR~2.jpg

I can't imagine how good it will further become if we give it better fuses & powercords!

IMHO other than the CH Precision T1, OP21A is the best audiophile 10M clock in the current market.
 
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