RME SteadyClock FS
Excellent performance, redefined.
About Jitter
In digital audio, the clock frequency is an essential factor because it establishes the correlation between the audio bits and the time reference. Unfortunately, the clock frequency is not always as stable as desired. Small fluctuations in the clock frequency are called "jitter" and are measured in nanoseconds (ns). It is the natural enemy of any digital audio transmission. The effects of jitter on the audio signal are manifold - from a somewhat rough sound quality to reduced treble localization to clicks and dropouts in extreme cases. To solve these problems, RME has developed a completely new technology for synchronizing and suppressing jitter in digital audio signals - SteadyClock.
SteadyClock's evolution
SteadyClock was originally developed to obtain a stable and clean clock from the highly jittered MADI data signal, which suffers from about 80 ns jitter due to the 125 MHz time resolution within the format. Common jitter values are around 5 ns, while a very good clock source will have less than 2 ns. With other input sources such as AES, SPDIF, word clock or ADAT, you will probably never experience such high jitter values.
But SteadyClock is not only ready for them, it would handle them on the fly. SteadyClock is quite fast compared to other techniques. It locks to the input signal in fractions of a second, follows even extreme varipitch changes with phase accuracy, and locks directly within a range of 28 kHz to 200 kHz.
The SteadyClock technology of RME's latest products guarantees excellent performance in all clock modes. Its highly efficient jitter suppression refreshes and cleans up any clock signal and provides it as reference clock at the word clock output. At the same time, analog conversion is guaranteed to be of the highest quality, completely independent of the type and quality of the reference clock used. The cleaned and jitter-free clock signal can be used as reference clock in any application. And the quality of the external (input) clock doesn't matter anymore.
SteadyClock FS - Superior Performance Redefined
Today, SteadyClock is still the same, with some small improvements in the latest FS version, like even more efficient filtering and a design based on a super low jitter reference clock. The ADI-2 DAC was the first device in RME's product range with SteadyClock FS. There is not much to improve on SteadyClock, it has earned its accolades over years of flawless operation in numerous RME devices and guarantees that using the internal clock will produce exactly the same sound as using an external one. SteadyClock rejects jitter to a high degree and handles all digital interface formats in an exemplary manner.
With SteadyClock FS, the focus was on reducing the self-jitter of SteadyClock to new lows by improving the second, analog PLL circuit and by referencing both DDS and PLL to a low phase noise crystal. The self-jitter measured by the D/A conversion now reaches levels normally only found in master crystal clock mode, while SteadyClock still runs in PLL mode - whether internal or external clock, the sound is exactly the same (again). The low phase noise oscillator driving the updated circuit achieves jitter specifications of less than one picosecond (ps), a region called femto seconds. Hence SteadyClock FS.
Capture the full range without compromising
RME Audio has always focused on performance, and its products are the first choice of audio professionals around the world. Precise German engineering and a relentless pursuit of sonic perfection ensure the highest quality results - no matter what the application.
RME's microphone preamps and converters are designed to capture every nuance of a performance, without adding sweeteners. Every detail is captured and no detail is lost. Neutral conversion allows you to hear the performance exactly as it is in the room - giving you the confidence that what you hear in the control room will be reflected in the final product. Digital format conversion in RME products is done without any loss or degradation, and SteadyClock ensures that your sonic image will never be degraded.
RME audio products are used daily by professionals in a wide variety of fields. From recording studios to major broadcasters, scientific research facilities, high-profile live tours, West End theater productions and national art installations. You can even find RME products in systems monitoring whale movements near offshore oil rigs! Whether you're in the studio, in the desert, at sea or at home, you can count on RME Audio to deliver the quality and reliability you need.
