Good question. Probably comes down to which clock is better and not sure if Volumio offers galvanic isolation, which is important (assume the U18 does?). At the very least you’ll likely get a better quality streamer either way, so given the unknowns this seems like one of those situations where just getting the Volumio and trying it with the U18 is really the only way to know. Sorry, I know that’s not terribly helpful. Best of luck.
Do I still need a DDC in between?
This is my current rig:
Wiim Ultra (DH Labs Mirage / Cardas Clear USB, 0.5m) → Gustard U18 (DH Labs HDMI 2.1, 0.5m) → Harmony μDAC (Mogami quad XLR) → Parasound A23 (Belden 5T00UP) → Wharfedale Linton
The sound is very good to my ears—excellent tonality, detail, and especially soundstage, with impressive height and depth. However, I’m considering trying the Volumio Rivo Plus released recently, which offers an I²S-over-HDMI connection.
My question is: would I still need the DDC (i.e., Gustard U18) in between, or would a direct I²S connection from the Rivo+ to the Harmony μDAC deliver comparable or even better sound quality? Have you had any direct or similar experience with this kind of setup? Any advice would be appreciated.