Grimm Audio CC1 Master Clock

Clock jitter is one of those things you cannot hear until it is gone. Then you hear everything it was hiding. The Grimm Audio CC1 started life as a reference clock for mastering studios, where engineers discovered that emotional response to music is far more sensitive to timing instability than anyone had assumed. Audiophiles figured out the same thing. Feed a CC1 into your DAC's word clock input and the soundstage opens, transients sharpen, and tonal color becomes more stable. Sixteen BNC outputs mean the CC1 can synchronize an entire system from a single oscillator.

Key Features of the Grimm Audio CC1

• Ultra-Low Jitter Oscillator: Grimm's radically redesigned discrete crystal oscillator achieves clock stability that betters even the best test equipment available.
• 16 BNC Word Clock Outputs: Enough to synchronize an entire multi-device system from one master reference.
• AES/EBU Reclocking: Clean up the digital audio feed to your DAC by reclocking the AES signal through the CC1's oscillator.
• Two Independent Sample Rate Groups: Run devices at different base rates (44.1 kHz and 48 kHz families) simultaneously.
• 90 dB Jitter Suppression PLL: When syncing to an external reference, the CC1's PLL suppresses incoming jitter by 90 dB at 10 Hz, improving at 60 dB per decade.
• Multiple Sample Rates: Supports 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz in selectable groups.

Why Clock Quality Affects Everything

Grimm's research into the relationship between jitter and perceived sound quality revealed that the thresholds for audible impact are much lower than the industry assumed. Tiny instabilities in the digital clock translate into a subtle smearing of transient edges and a reduction in spatial cues. The CC1's oscillator addresses factors that most clock designs overlook: power supply noise coupling into the oscillator, control circuit noise modulating the crystal, and low-level crosstalk between clock outputs. By isolating each of these mechanisms, Grimm achieved a clock whose stability exceeds the measurement floor of conventional test instruments.

For Audiophiles and Studios

In a home audio system, the CC1 serves as master clock for any source component with a word clock input. Many high-end DACs, streamers, and transports accept external clock, and the improvement is immediately audible: tighter bass definition, more precise imaging, and a naturalness to sustained notes that internal oscillators cannot match. In a professional setting, the CC1 anchors the entire signal chain, ensuring every device in the studio runs from the same ultra-stable reference. The AES/EBU reclocking function is particularly valuable: route your digital source through the CC1 before it reaches the DAC, and the timing accuracy of that conversion improves dramatically.

Grimm Audio Clock Family

For systems needing fewer outputs, the Grimm Audio CC2 uses the same oscillator technology in a compact form factor with 2 BNC outputs. Both clocks share the same core engineering. The CC1 is the choice for multi-device systems; the CC2 for single-DAC setups.

The Listening Room Difference

We're a third-generation family business with a brick-and-mortar showroom in Chestertown, Maryland, and a reputation built on exceptional service and relentless passion for hifi. At this level, every detail matters, and we're here to make sure you get it right. Whether you need help with system matching, setup guidance, or just want to talk through your options before pulling the trigger, owner Mike Hoaston is a phone call away. We don't just ship boxes. We help build systems, and our support lasts well beyond the sale. Call or text 410-239-2020.

Grimm Audio CC1 Specifications