Sure, noise is important as well. But for this specific SPDIF discussion, jitter can affect the receiver as well (via Gordon Rankin) so it is possible that is the mechanism here.
Noise could also be a factor as the Galileo cable is unusual as it is grounded with a ground plane.
As for the transports someone mentioned, we did a test in the 90s at Chesky Records where we had transports with different measured jitter. The lower jitter ones were much better sounding. By the way, this is a good example of where science played catchup with audio designers. Most science types felt nanosecond jitter was the limit of audibility based on a paper by Julian Dunn. Later the belief came to be hundreds of picoseconds mattered. Now the belief is single digit picosecond jitter is audible.
Bottom line: science does not have a good history of explaining audio phenomena.
It might be interesting to share one experience I had when I was recording classical musicians in the late 90s and early 2000s. We were using an Alessis Masterlink to record in 24/88.2. The sound was quite good but we noticed the jitter specification was pretty high. We borrowed, and later bought, a Lucid master clock that I think brought it down from several hundred picoseconds to around 25 picoseconds. Once we started recording with that masterclock, we noticed we had a substantial improvement in sound quality even though everything else was the same. We did not want to spend the money which was running low at the time but we stepped up and bought it. So the impact from jitter is quite audible and important if you are doing recordings.
More recently, our local HiFi Buys had dCS in town and we did a comparison of their master clock in the chain. Way better playback with the clock in the chain.
Of course, this is not to say noise is not important as it very much is. I'm working on several reviews of a bunch of Synergistic Research gear now and I can tell you lowered noise floors make all the difference in the world. Audiophile power outlets, conditioners, grounding approaches on both cables and components...all make an improvement.
It might be interesting to share one experience I had when I was recording classical musicians in the late 90s and early 2000s. We were using an Alessis Masterlink to record in 24/88.2. The sound was quite good but we noticed the jitter specification was pretty high. We borrowed, and later bought, a Lucid master clock that I think brought it down from several hundred picoseconds to around 25 picoseconds. Once we started recording with that masterclock, we noticed we had a substantial improvement in sound quality even though everything else was the same. We did not want to spend the money which was running low at the time but we stepped up and bought it. So the impact from jitter is quite audible and important if you are doing recordings.
More recently, our local HiFi Buys had dCS in town and we did a comparison of their master clock in the chain. Way better playback with the clock in the chain.
Of course, this is not to say noise is not important as it very much is. I'm working on several reviews of a bunch of Synergistic Research gear now and I can tell you lowered noise floors make all the difference in the world. Audiophile power outlets, conditioners, grounding approaches on both cables and components...all make an improvement.
I don't disagree,but in my experience my extreme chassis grounding has made a exceptional difference. Actually I cannot put into words what effect it has made to my digital reproduction. All the negative experiences that are related to digital no longer exist. Now does the reduction in common mode noise effect the digital process,I would say most assured. Common mode noise effects my entire system,but the most dramatic improvement has been to the digital side. Which makes sense to me given digitals dynamic range and the overall effect to the noise floor in general.
