I collected the following sound impressions with the "Intermezzo from Goyescas" by Enrique Granados with the New Philharmonia Orchestra under the direction of Rafael Frübeck des Burgos (Decca Legacy Volume One - FIM UHD). In this work, Granados uses complex harmonic structures and refined melodic arcs that capture the feeling of passion and melancholy. The present recording is excellent in every respect and is perfectly suited for the demanding re-clocker comparison: large orchestral instrumentation staggered low, expressive, massive string entries at the beginning and in the middle, striking winds, filigree piano and fortissimo passages in alternation. When the notebook is connected directly to my DAC, it sounds surprisingly fresh and lively, but also somehow "digital". The massive string entries are just too hard and too thin for me and the brass are really exhausting in their entrances. The spatial representation suggests great depth, but remains but remains unresolved and diffuse.

With the entry-level 3R USB Renaissance model, there is a more significant improvement in sound in all areas that do not require much effort to hear. How big the improvement really is becomes clear when I remove the box from the signal path again. With the 3R USB Renaissance, the expressive string entries gain in radiance on the one hand and lose significantly in hardness on the other. Without 3R USB Renaissance, these passages seem very grainy in direct comparison. At the same time, the 3R Renaissance provides a better insight into the details, subtleties and deeper structures of the piece. The winds that introduce the climax are better focused and no longer simply sound undefined from the depths of the room. This also benefits a much clearer representation of the room as a whole. A good tuning measure is to replace the simple plug-in power supply – you know my "allergy" to this type of power supply – with a good linear power supply. This makes the playback in all areas, but above all in inner peace. But as far as the investment in a power supply is concerned, please don’t exaggerate; the level of the 3R Master Time cannot be reached by an external power supply, no matter how good.

The 3R Master Time model is yet another big step towards better sound. The wind instruments just mentioned are now unquestionably more clearly defined, both in size and in terms of their placement in the orchestra. It becomes more clearly audible that at this point the horns first enter at the back left and then the trumpets – placed slightly to the right outside the centre – take over. In this way, the soundstage gains emphatically, not so much in absolute depth as in clarity and conciseness. A further sound improvement results when I switch off the 5-volt power line after booting up all devices. Obviously, the PS Audio DirectStream DAC reacts quite sensitively here. I am surprised at the level of sound that can be achieved with my simple notebook solution. And it slowly dawns on me what CEO George Ligerakis and chief developer Vasilis Tounas wanted to tell us during their visit to our editorial office, when they said somewhat provocatively that only a really expensive and elaborate music server would be worthwhile in terms of sound. Otherwise, it is better to use a simple computer and invest the money saved in USB re-clocking – from Ideon, of course. In the next step, I raise the bar much higher and switch to my audio PC, which is equipped with a SOtM USB card that draws its clock from a SOtM 10 MHz master clock and has its own power supply separate from the PC. This is now a completely different starting point than if the source is a PC or notebook with a switching power supply and USB ports integrated into the motherboard.