Basically where it does not provide is in the extended feature-set that a clock like the Apogee Big Ben really delivers in spades (various format I/O connectivity, ability to re-clock, ability to connect to many more devices, video black-burst sync option, etc). However, the MicroClock is designed to be a bare-bones, low-cost option for home and project studio users who only need to connect and sync a couple three devices. So, in this regard, the MicroClock is a really amazing clock that, in fact, rocks!
The benefits of a high quality external word clock is that you should be able to discern an improvement in perceived depth, width, frequency response, and overall solidity of the image. The degree to which you’ll experience the improvement will depend upon which clock you were referencing before. Obviously, clocking the lower level gear to a high-quality clock will suddenly yield the most startling results. Comparing very high quality clocks to one another might end up being more of an exercise in splitting hairs. Whether or not you’ll hear the difference between the Big Ben, MicroClock, and Universal Audio 2192, for example, will largely depend on your monitoring chain, your ears, and your listening skills. Due to the unique transformer isolation design of the MicroClock, one usually experiences a more solid, even, and contained reproduction of the audio when listening back. Again, it’s a bit like splitting hairs. However, the output transformers in the MicroClock prevent negative-feedback from the devices being clocked to contaminate the MicroClock. Therefore, what may be perceived as a slightly more dynamic representation of the audio when clocking to other devices, may be a result of distortions arising from negative feedback contaminating those clocks. This can lead to ear fatigue. Also, the most confusing part of this that this usually only affects playback (the audio engine of the DAW) and not the recording of the digital file. You can compare two identical files that were recorded when clocked to two different “true” zero-jitter clocks with a null-test (flip the polarity on one of the files and play both back simultaneously). You’ll find that they cancel one another out completely. However, they sound slightly different when clocking to different clocks on playback. Odd, right?