Streamer with variable digital output

I am still not convinced that any of the streamers mentioned or recommended in this thread, other than the Node, have the VARIABLE DIGITALOUTPUT (not screaming just emphasizing) required by the GAN1. None of the documentation explicitly states that they do. 

Looks like some funny li'l behind the scenes collaboration between peachtree and bluesound (as evidenced on peachtree's webpage) to try and lock out some pristine sounding DAC implementations/analog ouptuts in competitor products. What's even funnier is that the bluesound kinda sounds like crap (to begin with) and the digital volume control slaying bits as the dude rolls his digital volume control will make it even crappier...Go peachtree+Bluesound a.k.a Beauvis+Butthead, a match made in heaven these boys seem to be... 😁 😁

Lumin has variable digital outputs.  I was using a Lumin U2 Mini this way today actually.   And the HiFi Rose RS130 does as well (not tried any of my other Rose models to check if they do).  

I have a GAN1 (modded by TweakAudio.com). For my streaming needs I used a Lumin X1 at one time. That was great but a crazy recommondation.

What I recommend, and what I now use, is a Sonore OpticalRendu + the $500 converter that Small Green Computer sells to take the USB output of my Optical Rendu and then outputs SPDIF to the GAN1.

I use ROON and both the Lumin X1 and Sonore OpticalRendu are ROON READY. Volume is done by ROON for the OpticalRendu. I used the LeedH volume when I had the Lumin X1. Both are great choices.

I recently bought a used opticalREndu for $700.

BTW - after I got the mods ($500) I sold a lot of gear that was no longer needed.

BTW2 - I posted how to do all of this streaming on the GAN1 thread from earlier in the year. The Lumin X1 was a bit trickier, and I had to talk to Lumin of the setting to use.

I am still not convinced that any of the streamers mentioned or recommended in this thread, other than the Node, have the VARIABLE DIGITALOUTPUT (not screaming just emphasizing) required by the GAN1. None of the documentation explicitly states that they do. 

The majority of DACs and streamer/DACs, including the afore-mentioned streamers, utilize digital attenuation for volume control. This allows users to adjust volume and transmit scaled-down signal samples to external DACs through various digital outputs (usb, Toslink, coaxial, etc.) and analog outputs (SE or XLR). Additionally, users can switch to a fixed volume control mode to bypass altering the signal when sending it to an external DAC.

Now, there is on-going debate about the degraded quality of the scaled down signal samples through digital attenuation due to the lowered dynamic range (DR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at higher levels of attenuation.  To that end, some manufactures, like RME, claim "In reality, current circuitry overturns the theory, and the SNR at the output of such a device (referred to an analog volume attenuator) is no better than a digitally controlled one"  Gustard R26 / A26 also uses digital volume control but supplements a feature that, when turned on, utilizes analog attenuator to mitigate the dynamic performance loss at low listening level.  As a result, digital volume control is not considered a significant drawback, especially in higher-end products.