New: TentLabs XO2.2 and XO3.2

XO2.2 and XO3.2 subsitute the well known XO2 and XO3 modules. These new boards are available from stock. Their performance is improved, the primary voltage regulator is changed to a shunt type, with higher supply isolation, and high input impedance to avoid earth loops. Useful features like an input to disable the clock output at player standby, easy conversion from 3.3 to 5V and standard :2 and :4 outputs become available. In addition, the boards are smaller, easy to install and supplied with pre-fab coaxial cables.

XO2.2 and XO3.2 are low jitter clock upgrades for CD/DVD players. Substituting the standard clock with these new clock oscillators, designed with low jitter in mind, will greatly enhance the sound quality of your digital disc players. This new clock oscillator is now made available at a very reasonable price. Just connect power supply and change a few components inside the player yourself - the fast and easy solution!

Purpose

XO2.2 and XO3.2 are designed to be applied as an upgrade in CD and DVD players. They generate a very low jitter clock, which in turn clocks the DAC chips. This in turn leads to lower distortion in the audio spectrum. It pays off and results in:
• Lower grain
• More resolution
• Better transparency
• Cleaner sound
• Better bass

Most commercially available CD players contain standard clock generator circuits, producing typical jitter values up to, and over 100 ps. XO 2.2 / 3.2 output jitter is below 3ps, integrated over the whole bandwidth starting from 10Hz. Now guess how that distortion is reduced….

Read page 2 of our September newsletter to understand which specifications are important when quantifying jitter.

Technology

XO 2.2 and 3.2 module are based upon the XO clock module. The module is fed with a dedicated low noise power supply. The output noise is below 3 nV/Sqrt. Hz (within the critical range of 10 Hz to 100 kHz). That is 30dB more quiet than an average LM317 based voltage regulator! This low noise level contributes to the already low jitter figures of XO.
All active stages have their own decoupling capacitor, and a novel compound RF series impedance towards the supply rail. XO2.2 and XO3.2 sit on a double-sided PCB with ground-plane, to ensure signal integrity and maintain low jitter levels.

Application

XO2.2 and 3.2 are small modules, intended to be retrofitted in your CD player or soundcard. They offer a plug and play solution to come to a sound reproduction with less distortion. Modern players usually require the 3,3V version, older units work fine with 5V versions. Both are supported by these new boards.

XO2.2

XO2.2 is intended for stand-alone CD and DVD players. It contains an XO module of the appropriate frequency, in conjunction with the low noise power supply.

XO3.2

XO3.2 is intended to be used when external DACs are connected. XO3.2 is equal to XO2.2, but contains an additional reclocking circuit for the digital output (SPDIF). This circuit reduces the jitter at that output. The incoming jitter at the DAC will be lower, resulting in better sound. XO3.2 can be used in conjunction with XO-DAC.

What the press writes about us

• Dutch web magazine hifi.nl testing XO-3 and XO-supply
• Dutch magazine HVT describing a modified Teac VRDS 10 (XO-3 and XO-supply)

What customers achieve with the modules

Below are some links of typical applications
• Dick van Merwe upgrades Sony SCD-940 (in Dutch)
• Rudo Meijer upgrades Philips CD882 (in Dutch)
• Giovanni Aste upgrading his Teac VRDS 10 (in English)
• Ergo Esken upgrading the Behringer DCX2496 (in English)
• How to mount XO3 on the Philips CDproM LF drive (English)

Customer feedback

This is what customers say about our products
• So Guido, bill me because the oscillator is not coming back!
• Today I finally found some time to include the XO in my TL5100. My first impression after 5 minutes: seemingly shocking. Much more is happening, space, echo, clean, rhythm, all better, with more power involved
• The new low jitter oscillator definitely brought more definition, more resolution to the music. More can be heard. Details come to life.
• Now the sound is more relaxed... and more energetic. It is not like changing a capacitor for a better one, it's not a matter of transparency, or detail (although now they are better), but the music sounds more... like music. Everything sounds less 'thick', but at the same time much more expressive. Particularly with female voices, yesterday night I heard one after the other all my favourite singers, till 3am. with a shiver with each song...a memorable night.
•

Specifications

Electrical
XO2.2
• Supply input: 10 to 20 Vdc, 80mA typical
• Clock output: Specified frequency, +/- 50ppm
• Clock output voltage : 3.3V or 5V, selectable with solder-jumper
• Output jitter: < 3ps rms (10 Hz onwards)
• Clock outputs:
3 normal outputs, each can drive 2 HCmos gates
/2, an extra output with half the clock frequency available
/4, an extra output with a quarter of the clock frequency available
• Enable input: Swithes off all outputs when tied to ground

XO3.2
• Supply input: 10 to 20 Vdc, 80mA typical
• Clock output: Specified frequency, +/- 50ppm
• Clock output voltage : 3.3V or 5V, selectable with solder-jumper
• Output jitter: < 3ps rms (10 Hz onwards)
• Clock outputs:
3 normal outputs, each can drive 2 HCmos gates
/2, an extra output with half the clock frequency available
/4, an extra output with a quarter of the clock frequency available
• Enable input: Swithes off all outputs when tied to ground
• SPDIF input, triggers at input voltages from 100mV onwards
• 75 ohm reclocked SPDIF output, 0.5V output (75 ohm loaded)

Mechanical
• Size: 45*75*14 mm^3 (W*L*H, excluding standoffs)
• Weight: 35 gram
• Mounting: M3*10 M/F standoffs, included
• Mountinghole pitch: 67*37mm (symmetrical)

Available frequencies

in stock are:
• 2.8224 MHz
• 4.2336 MHz
• 8.4672 MHz
• 11.2896 MHz
• 12.0000 MHz New !
• 12.2880 MHz
• 16.9344 MHz
• 18.4320 MHz
• 22.5792 MHz New !
• 24.5760 MHz
• 27.0000 MHz
• 33.8688 MHz
• 45.1584 MHz
• 67.7376 MHz New ! Note; does not work in XO2.2 / XO3.2 boards

Look at the frequency list to find the frequency of your player.

Pricing & warranty

• XO2.2 € 139,- (€ 116,81)
• XO3.2 € 179,- (€ 150,42)

Prices exclude shipment and payment cost. Prices in brackets are ex VAT. XO2.2 and XO3.2 come fully assembled, tested and adjusted with a 5-year full warranty.

Orders and information

Go to the shop

Mounting

Look at the XO2.2 / XO3.2 mounting manual for detailed mounting instructions. Some notes on the new PCB:
• Blue = clock output
• Black = SPDIF input
• Red = SPDIF output
The jumper indicated with "0" should always be soldered, otherwise no SPDIF will appear at the output
To obtain 5V clock output, short the "5V" jumper: The LED goes off. With the LED on, 3.3V clok will be output (factory default setting)

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