Pioneer AX5AI and DV 868AVi iLink SQ

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I bought the Pioneer AX5AI as well as the DV 757AI on the forum.  I have a DV 868 AVi already and have never tried the iLink (Firewire/IEEE 1394) connection on the DVD player.  Well tonight I thought let me give it a go as the reviews are very favourable.  I connected the DV 868 AVi (which is already not a slouch in the SQ output) and after a few tinkering in the menu to activate the iLink feature I was taken aback by the sound quality improvement between the iLink and the digital out of the player.
iLink.jpg

I am duly impressed with the total range of the audio spectrum that is improved.  Such a nice interface and a pity it has been dropped.  One advantage is that you can get a bitstream output from firewire of SACD which normally is copyright protected from the SPDIF output.  The clock of the DVD/SACD player is syncronised via the iLink as well resulting in a much lower jitter.
pioneer_vsa_ax10ai_ilink_pqls_dia.jpg
I quote. Pioneer PQLS (Precision Quartz Lock System) enables the amplifier/receiver to conform the speed of the DVD player's signal transfer to its own crystal clock speed. The original digital bit stream will be regenerated in the amplifier/receiver using its own clock. Hence, jitter resulting from the signal transmission is reduced to an absolute minimum, and SACD and DVD-Audio sound reproduction is as true to the original source as possible.

The Pioneer amplifier is also doing an excellent job.  Even though it is an older generation, it shows you can still buy some excellent audio for not a lot of money.

Some information on iLink
http://www.pioneer.eu/uk/content/support/Help/Products/AVAmplifierReceiver/iLINK/Text.html
 
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