Chord Dave or Ayre QX5 Twenty DAC???

The CX feeding the MP is a really interesting combination. Truly looking forward to your impressions and findings once the components and the updates are settled.

I strongly recommend to do a preliminary test with other dacs other than Aurender. I am experiencing USB sync connection issues with Lumin U1 and Melco N1ZH/2 (latest firmware v 3.72). Still working with support in trying to fix them. I believe that USB compatibility on the MP3100 is still very limited when compared to the PDP3000.

Musicfx, nice to hear of your improvements with the new Ethernet cables. I just ordered a AQVOX SE switch with AQVOX cables. T+A is planing to include Deezer in a upcoming firmware. I thought Deezer was already implemented when I purchased the MP3100 per stated in their website. Tidal sound very good but I like Lumin U1 better feeding the MP3100 via AES. Also the Lumin app offers a little more functionality.

This has nothing to do with sound quality but in my research looks to be a bigger and bigger issue: the QX-5 Twenty lacks an HDMI input. Most Blu-ray players that support SACD discs, including players from Sony and Oppo, can only transmit DSD from SACDs via HDMI. As the QX-5 Twenty lacks HDMI… you're out of luck playing DSD except from files on a computer via USB. It remains to be seen how big a real world issue that proves to be, but for me on a recent audition it meant no DSD for me.
see: showbox & kodi

Both DACs are very, very good. But each will sound differently with any different system. You need to either borrow a store DAC with your system, or listen to either with a system that is as close as yours.