Two Sources, One DAC

It is fine idea, i use optical for my old CD player, coax for the new BR/SACD etc and USB for network/disk player

I have a Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC that has three switchable inputs -- USB plus coax and optical SPDIF. All sound great and I would think an improvement over the built-in DACs in both the Denon and Node. 

I happen to mainly use the USB input but have tried the others and, assuming the source is equivalent, I don't spot any audible difference.

Thank you @mlsstl ​​​​@alexopth1512....confirmed what I figured would be the case.  Are all DAC's selectable as such?  Would really be intrigued to add a tube version to the mix.  

Thanks!  

EW

You can connect as many sources to a DAC as there are available inputs on the DAC. Just select the input for the connected device you want to play, and play away. I have digital coax, toslink optical and USB digital sources connected to my DAC, all at the same time. I just select which DAC input I need, and away I go....

The number and type of inputs on any DAC should be clearly disclosed on the spec sheet for the unit. I'd like to think you could find that on any maker's web site but I suppose some web sites are better than others in this regard.

Remote exclusively.

I use AES/EBU for CD, i2s for a streamer, i2s for a DDC, USB for a streamer, Toslink for a DDC, and coax for a streamer that has 3 more inputs available via remote.

Have at it, whatever sounds better.

USB and I2S inputs will give you the ultra HI-RES options like DSD512 and PCM 384KHz not available in other inputs, usually RCA coax would give up to 24/192KHz (which is very decent by the way) but if you want to try even higher you need USB or I2S. Of course you need to find music in these formats, not available through streaming.

I am buying these formats from NativeDSD and for streaming I prefer TIDAL 

I use a Bryston DAC3.  It has every input imaginable including 4 HDMI inputs.  I use the latter for SACD, because both my Opponents 105 and Sony 5400 can output the DSD layer of my numerous SACD collection into the HDMI of the DAC, 

I use my DAC like a preamp for source switching.. since my linestage doesn’t have source switching.. most DAC’s have multiple input types..