How are most audiophiles going from streamers to DACS

Because of where things must be physically, my router sends wifi (16 bit/44.1 KHz PCM) to an Audioengine B-FI. I connected its Toslink output to the Toslink input of the DAC. It sounds great to me. The important components are the amplification - a Quicksilver Integrated in my case - and the speakers - Focal Aria 906's. They both made major improvements over what was in their place previously.

The most Superior Connection at this moment for digital which not even MSB or DCS or any other high end audio company has managed to work out is what Playback Design (Andreas Koch) uses, a proprietary technology using Fiber Digital Connection from Streamer to DAC. 

The Guy who invented the DSD Recording Machine that allowed you to records mix and master all in the DSD Domain with out conversion, at the time he invented this no one else could figure it out and Sony sold these machines to studios.

With my Lampizator DAC and their USB module it’s a no-brainer - USB!

Their module uses a 32-bit engine capable of 384 kHz speed. It is asynchronous and uses two internal clocks for re-clocking. It also is self powered from an internal power supply so you use a non-powered USB cable. No power is taken from the computer and the noisy computer line is physically interrupted and insulated.

Also it’s not converting to SPDIF - it is much better than that - it converts to i2s and it is connected DIRECTLY to the DAC chip, bypassing all input and receiver stages. This really is the best USB solution - at least right now.

If you can’t go USB, then go coax. But don’t go optical - it may not be able to handle data flows over 96.

USB a to b. Acoustic BBQ or Shunyata Alpha USB cables. Acoustic BBQ is the best value for your money.

Blue Jeans Cables made me a coax that worked out fine...

Of course, the general answer is "it depends on the implementation of each". But a few rules of thumb are useful and I am very familiar with the denefrips.

1. Toslink is always inferior. I wont get into detail on why, but both jitter and sampling rate are worse. Pretty cut and dry. Its great when EMI immunity is required.

2. While there are different profiles, and i’m peaking very loosely, in general SPDIF depends on the clock of the sending unit and USB is asynchronous, mostly, so timing is by the clock of the terminating unit (DAC). Since the denefrips DAC’s timing ( and most of it) is vastly superior to the Node, you want the Denefrips in total control. This means USB. Any quality cable will work fine.


Important note: But you still have some ground noise issues with this direct connection, so.....

The best is to run the streamer via ethernet to a fairly quiet (electrically and mechanically) bridge that terminates the ethernet (isolation) and spits out the USB High res profile 2 data. Make sure this unit has a quiet, linear power supply. The denefrips has, again, an isolated USB interface, which helps and will re-clock and read out everything. This is how i run:

1. ROON ROCK streamer
2. Custom modified Raspberry Pi runnign Roon Bridge, with a cusotm made low noise linear power supply
3. USB cable to Denefrips (apple if you care, i dont)

Voila. Superb.

G

I agree with lawyer203 - USB

USB

And if your equipment doesn’t have it then you need to change

For your setup get a Audio Quest Carbon RCA digital coax cable. Inexpensive and good quality. Or if you want to spend a little more Kimber Kables D60 digital coax. AQ has a little warmer sound.

op

I have 3 ways I can hook my streamer (node ) to my Dac (ares2) I just dont know what way would be the best 1-optical, 2 coax, 3 USB A to B

sorry but no you don’t, as i said earlier, you have 2 only ... the node 2i does not have a usb digital output... there is a usb jack on the back panel but that is for memory devices to read from and such, it is NOT an output

the newest iteration of the node, just released, has added a usb digital output as one the ’upgrades’ from the prior gen 2i ... your node 2i does not have that feature

https://audiot.co.uk/p-29602-node-3-wireless-network-music-player.aspx <--- read the 5 paragraphs in the detailed info prose section, 4th para down

when I said in transit I meant its physically on its way to me in the mail , so I just need to buy a cable to hook it up when it gets here. 

I have 3 ways I can hook my streamer (node ) to my Dac (ares2) I just dont know what way would be the best   1-optical, 2 coax, 3 USB A to B . I dont know enough about the pros and cons of each and apparently theres a difference in audio data and digital data im just confused at this point . I read optical breaks the grounding therefore its like getting a free galvanic isolator but there is a drawback to , no 1 cable gives you all the pros and no cons , I just would like to know from someone that knows what's the better connection for connection a streamer to a dac thats all cause I don't know. 

In my experience, the answer to your question mostly depends on how the associated equipment is optimized.  I have used the USB, Coax, and optical connections that you asked about, plus AES/EBU and I2S.  In general, I2S was intended for very short runs inside of equipment and not as an external connector for two different pieces of equipment.  My current main system gear is set up to optimize USB so that is how I use it.  However, I use optical for my less expensive garage/outdoor system (Metrum Baby Ambre to Jade) and do not perceive any loss of SQ.  In cases where all connections were assumed to be equal with the gear being used, I have mostly preferred AES/EBU.  When using coax, I have mostly used BNC (and not RCA) connectors for reasons quoted below by the owner/designer of Empirical Audio.

I have explained this many times on this forum.  RCA connectors cannot be properly terminated to coax cable, I don't care what RCA you use. Coax cables have BNC connectors specifically designed for each type, so that the impedance discontinuity is minimized. Using RCA terminated to a coax will cause unwanted reflections, resulting in jitter at the receiving device. Adding a BNC to RCA adapter is usually harmless and does not result in compromised SQ.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

In summary, try the different connections and use what sounds best to you.

Do not use optical, that is a rule of thumb. Then whether the USB or COax would need to be tested. Given the inexpensive nature of the two components you could just get two budget interconnects USB and COAX. Since USB re-times the signal, this may sound better. COAX uses the timing of the streamer.

Obvious. But "most" of us do not have a Node > Denefrips with his ears.

@fuzztone

I have a Node 2I and a Denafrips ares 2 dac thats in transit

i think the op is trying to simply determine what is the best way to connect a to b

Most?
How are you going to get there?
I use i2s, AES/EBU, USB X2, coax and toslink. My DAC designer states that they should sound alike and they do.
No clue what you are trying to determine.

bs node 2i offers spdif optical or rca coax for digital bitstream output

rca electrical coax is considered slightly better than optical, use a good cable, ideal length 1.25 to 2 m, most use 1.5m length... good cost effective cables are available from cullen, canare/blue jeans, lower audioquest etc etc - about $100

if using optical, get a true glass optical cable from lifatec, dh labs or the link below keep lengths short as possible - less than 5 m definitely

http://www.youravcablestore.com/digital-audio-toslink-optical-cables.html

When in doubt, use the theoretically superior cable. If you can’t, use the connections that your gear has. Distance between components and speakers (cable) should be as short as possible. (low resistance).