Device Type
The role of an external clock, based on the timing signals it generates or distributes.
Word-clock and audio master-clock signals relate to audio timing rates. A 10 MHz reference provides a frequency standard that compatible equipment can use to derive its timing.
Device Type — External Clock
For an External Clock, device type helps identify which clock inputs it can serve. A master clock supplies audio-related clock signals; a reference clock supplies a reference such as 10 MHz. Some products provide both.
A clock distributor repeats an incoming clock across several outputs. A generator that can lock to an external reference is not therefore only a distributor. Judge the role from its outputs: accepting 10 MHz does not mean it also outputs 10 MHz.
Compare the role with the receiving equipment’s required frequency and signal format. An internal clock module or upgrade is not a standalone clock, and a DAC’s clock socket alone does not establish that it is an external-clock component.