Groan. If you have a DAC with ethernet in, then fine, it’s simple; but not, I would suggest, perhaps the most cost-effective. As I said - everyone has an opinion. over and out.
Well said Geoff, a good summary.
I think USB has come a long way over recent years and newer DACs have better USB implementation. As ever music to your ears then decide.
My dac can accept S/PDIF, I2S and also USB
And I hear a huge difference between those connections,
S/PDIF sounds warmer, softer, where I2S has the same but with much more details, and better imaging
and most important better timing, it’s difficult to explain but the quiet moments on music sound much better controlled.
USB sounds also dynamic, with good details but these details are nervous, and it sounds a bit un-natural
in my ears
But don’t forget I have very good (and analytical) High-End speakers (of 7000 euro a set)
If a listener has standard hifi speakers he or she will probably not able to hear these differences…
Your dac might have a difference between the input types. That does not prove one is better than the other in general. That may just be a better implementation in your particular dac.
Alternatively, it may just be psychoacoustic effects at play. Unless you’ve done a level matched blind test (Or compares objective measurements) you can’t be sure what you think is true about your dac actually is.
Your speakers may be good but a lot of other people also have “highly resolving systems”, myself included.
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Not trying to dis anyone’s setup or equipment just trying to inform the discussion:
From @AMP, Program Manager at DCS on this topic:
Q: “Is the ethernet the way to go with the Rossini?”
A: “Yes. You’ll get better performance with Roon via the network.”
Q: “I just plug the Rossini right into my router?”
A: “Yes. Assuming your network is functioning correctly then you just plug it in and enable the device in Roon under Settings > Audio.”
It seems likely that this would apply to all ethernet enabled DACs since Room also recommends ethernet.
Of course there are multiple paths…
My streamer/DAC (a Matrix Audio Element X) can accept S/PDIF, I2S, USB, and ethernet. I’ve tried all but I2S. I don’t necessarily hear huge differences among those connections, and am not sure the differences I do hear are attributable to the signal paths per se. Any of them can support excellent results.
I beg to differ or at least expand on this list of camps.
The WiFi camp: if one has a good, reliable WiFi router and little or no interference (walls and/or other WiFi networks nearby) then streaming via WiFi to a WiFi Roon endpoint is not really all that different than using Ethernet and the sound quality is same as with Ethernet. Plus many Roon endpoints do not have Ethernet, the Google Chromecast & Chromecast Audio.
The digital/optical camp: many DACs and endpoints do not have USB inputs/outputs. For example I have a SB Touch connected via digital to a Marantz home theater receiver and it sounds pretty good. I know that there are advantages to using a USB DAC with Roon. One of those being the two way communication between Roon and the DAC, which is very nice if the DAC is Roon tested.
I’ll grant you the WiFi camp as an addition - it’s probably large enough to be considered mainstream. The Chromecast products, BTW, are not solely WiFi - they also support ethernet (via their optional USB power adaptors).
That’s good to know. thanks!
Agree, usb is flawed. In the past tried many different tweaks, AQ Diamond cable, and sounded worse than using a good Ethernet cable straight to the dac network port
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Some of the best DACs use direct USB connection, examples are Chord Dave, Hugo, etc.
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Absolutely! 
“Some of the best” is certainly subjective. Have you listened to these DACs with a properly clocked front end on their non-usb inputs?
The problem of optical or coax spdif is that you cannot go more than 192/24 or dsd 128. Of course, some of the streamers, ones that only accept Ethernet cable, are very good - I own one, the Linn Klimax DSM/3 with Katalyst.
I’m a huge fan of straight I2S. So a DAC with an Ethernet input is in that category. Our player streamer has I2S output, so it covers that need as well. The problem is that so few DACs accept I2S in.
S/PDIF is not ideal, AES/EBU is much better. But, as you mention, still limited.
If you know anyone with a Chord Dave, I’d love to send them my player / streamer and let them compare AES/EBU (at 192/24) to USB.
I also own a Chord Hugo, personally I do not know anyone who owns a Chord Dave.
I was very much tempted to get a Chord Dave before the Linn Klimax DSM/3, the form factor of the Chord Dave is a deciding factor in my choosing the Linn. SQ wise, they all have their own strengths and weaknesses, but personally and frankly I think the Chord Dave has an edge (even with USB input).
I agree the better dacs have I2S or Ethernet connections. I have 1 and I have tested both USB and ethernet and I’ve been using ethernet ever since
true! and if in this day and age if you have a contemporary dac usb shouldn’t be flawed, if so it’s incompetent engineering.
USB have come a long way since the first dac’s that implemented USB.
little subjective don’t you think? can you explain a bit? which dac? did you do blind testing or did you use some test equipment?
don’t you think that if USB was flawed it wasn’t included in the top tier dac’s?
If usb was perfect the way it is, why are there hundreds of products costing up to thousands of $$$ to make it better? I was in that camp spending good money trying to make usb better, and some of them did.
USB is always included because most (Imo) people Have computers/music server devices in their audio room (which is also bad) and usb offers higher bit rates and support more protocols than coax/toslink.
I2S is superior but most dacs don’t include that interface either.
Only three words: FUD