I am considering adding a Roon Endpoint to a system that already has a DAC and wanted to start a different thread assuming that I add a new DAC to the mix.
I have a very good wired Ethernet network in place.
I am considering three scenarios.
A. Allo Boss Player to Naim Nait XS
B. Allo DigiOne Player to Schiit DAC (one of the Modi 2 variants or Bifrost)
C. Allo USBridge to Schiit DAC
I get lost when it comes to the relative strengths and weaknesses of SPDIF v USB in this scenario and how the Boss player might compare to the systems using the Schiit DAC.
As far as “digital signal to DAC” is concerned in your options B and C, please take into account that per definition, coax (your B with the DigiOne) will not transport native DSD to the DAC. As a rule of thumb you have mostly up to 24bit/192 kHz with coax, maybe even more on some hardware, but I don’t know all.
If you go the “C” route, you have afaik most flexibility with hi-res digital formats like DSD, DXD etc.
In this field I’m not a specialist either, as my DAC does not support this, but it has USB in. All I have experienced is that getting a USB signal into a DAC is not always so easy as it seems.
I tried connecting the NUC directly to the DAC. There are a lot differences between USB cables, power supply, whether or not to have something to enhance/clean/whatever the USB signal. It all has some influence. I assume that a dedicated device like the USBridge will be a better solution, but I have no experience with this device.
Hope this helps a bit, there ase many experienced users here that can help you further.
Good luck with your search, happy listening!
I can comment on B or C from some experience with coax and USB inputs to some Schiit DACs (Bifrost Multibit and Yggdrasil), with USBridge, and with a variety of other USB and S/PDIF sources. With current Schiit DACs that take both, S/PDIF coax is typically as good or better than USB for comparable digital source cost. With the Gen 5 USB upgrade, it’s hard to hear a difference between the two sources on a Bifrost Multibit in my experience. All new Bifrost Multibits come with Gen 5 now.
Modi 2 Multibit does not have USB Gen 5 (can’t fit). So, other things being equal I suspect S/PDIF coax from DigiOne Player might be better for it than USBridge.
I wasn’t sure if USBridge might be clean enough to avoid need for Gen 5 USB treatment. But, as you note, there seems to be little to gain from USB in this instance. So now I’m left to wonder how Allo Boss stacks up against Schitt DACs.
I’ve not used a Bifrost Multibit Gen 5 with DigiOne. I’ve used it with USBridge as well as with a Pi 2 Designs 502DAC hat on a Pi 2, which is not the same as DigiOne but seems in the same ballpark. I could not detect consistent differences, and I could be happy with either. Since then I gave the Bifrost to my daughter on the other coast of North America so I can’t do further comparisons.