Streamer output options


In my younger days, I was told so often that spdif was better than usb that it became doctrine.  I'm in the market for a 2k$ish streamer and I see many higher end streamers with usb outputs that pass far higher res data than the spdif 192/24 does. My DAC takes either, but not i2s. Are the new implementations of usb now better than spdif? 

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Showing 1 response by sns

Implementation of interfaces needs to be taken on a case by case basis. How can anyone state categorically any single interface is the best. Usb optimization varies greatly across both streamers and dacs. I2S not offered on a great number of streamers so DDC's employed, optimization of this output varies with these, for dacs since this native signal path, less variability here except with quality of internal clock.

 

One would have to actually optimize and implement these interfaces in their own setups to determine superiority. I've tried any number of usb optimizations over the years, this with variety of streamers and dacs, with present setup I2S provides superior sound quality vs usb, this with both my Musetec DH-DA006 (sabre chip) and Laiv Harmony (R2R).  Musetec has one of the most sophisticated usb boards I've seen, Laiv middle of road.