My favorites have always been devices that have specific single clocks for each given format that the 'universal' machine may play. Clock dividers, and associated hardware introduce jitter of their own and switching clocking systems in and out (depending on format detected) isn't all that elegant a solution --but it is the best one, IMHO. It is an expensive solution, but it is the only one that embodies 'best-at any price'.

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Clock dividers, and associated hardware introduce jitter of their own

Um, no, done right, a divider at the output of a clock should substantially clean it up.

I don't doubt, however, that somebody, somewhere, has done this wrong...

I beg to differ, but that's why we have more than one baseball team.

Imagine, if you will, a 'perfect' clock. The divider will reduce 'resolution' (in all its unstated parameters). You speak of a clock with issues, not a perfected one.

The few that do this, that I have seen, do state exactly that in the separate specifications or promo sheet. I think one of the Krell Standards did this exact thing. doing such a thing is an expensive 'feature' so it would definitely be a highlight to mention in the funny pages.

Co-inkadinkally I (my distributor and also separately by biz partner) have been having conversations as of recent with the guy who designed the standard Crystal Semi chip that does the clocking conversions in most universal players, in the high end market. IIRC, it's the same chip that is in $200 boxes from Behringer and the like. Point being, is that there are limited examples of quality chips of this nature. This does not mean that Behringer is making $200 digital devices that compete with $4k CD players, no. Just the ubiquitousness of the specific chip type and brand in question is the deal. I've removed the chip in question from the clocking path before to go to single clocks and the improvement has always been there. Not tested with Mr Gear and his test bench but via the ear only. However, in a perfect world, with a 'perfect clock', anything else added will only bring distortion. I submit to you that my personal clock design is possibly superior, but that remains a bit of heresy until it hits the streets.

The usual trick is out go to extreme frequencies and then use dividers, hoping like hell the layout and PS will help drop the jitter a hair. Or, to use the given 'Crystal Semi' chip in question, and possibly the divider as well. Depends on the app and how successful the given approach is for the given designer.