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To eradicate any lack of confidence in cable quality, here was a perfect opportunity to bust out two digital cables from Chris Sommovigo's Black Cat. He's discontinued his much-loved Veloce 123 coaxial wire in favour of the new 'hot-rodded' Silverstar 75 (ohms). For the intervening Synchro-Mesh, one Silverstar 75 between Squeezebox Touch and SM input, then another for SM output to DAC. Easy.

We began with the slick drum-machined funk of Prince's "Sign O’ The Times" first without Synchro-Mesh (one Silverstar) and then with (two Silverstars). The differences were immediate - better dynamics coupled to broader musical insight. Pink Floyd’s "Money" was more familiar to both listeners so this tune proved even more conclusive. No Synchro-Mesh, no fun. Inclusion of the reclocker shifts tonal colour away from water and into oil for greater indelibility. The improvement can be likened to the first time one picks up new spectacles from the optometrist. Once the initial disorientation subsides, the (ocular) world comes alive again. One can never go back to the older pair. A similar story played out when—later—the Burson HA-160 and Schiit Bifrost were brought out behind AKG cans. The Bifrost is the ideal candidate for some Synchro-Mesh love. Already full of warmth and body, the reclocker brings better defined lines and more jump factor.

This A/B switcheroo was repeated with an Audio-gd Reference 10, a DAC less vulnerable to the charms of the Synchro-Mesh than the Metrum. Yet the anti-jitter campaign waged by the Empirical box was still palpable. Once heard it's tough, very tough, to revert back to the solo Squeezebox pushing binary at the Audio-gd directly. Without Empirical reclocking we get a sound that's comparatively dead behind the eyes. It walks like a zombie. Or it’s an android masquerading as human. For Blade Runner fans the Synchro-Mesh takes us from Tyrell's Nexus 5 to a Nexus 6.


More demanding listeners might wonder why Logitech doesn't improve the digital out on their device. They expect too much. For such a wonderfully functional streamer (that can often be snatched up for less than AU$300), the Squeezebox Touch's strongest suit is practical elegance. Let Logitech work on the interface, features, server software etc., then leave the jitter rejection to folks like Steve Nugent as engineers who don't march to the lifestyle product drum.

Not everyone digs a PC or Mac as digital audio transport. Using a mouse and keyboard to cue, play and pause music can feel 'wrong' to many digital audio enthusiasts. Isn't this why Olive shifts their units? Endless double-clicking reminds me of why turntablists prefer the physicality of their chosen format.

An iPhone remote control app separates user from keyboard/mouse but control app choices narrow quickly when iTunes isn't used as library manager. Fidelia have had a go. Ditto PSAudio. But neither is as slick as the server/app solutions from Squeezebox and Sonos. They've collectively and consistently offered the go-to software for library management and remote control playback for iTunes refusers and iTunes diggers.