were you’re comparisons double blind (or single blind) tests? Not trying to argue about what you hear, but wanted to understand just a bit more about how you conducted the comparisons. thanks.
Also, “better” here is subjective and a personal preference. I prefer S/PDIF over USB with my DAC. But it doesn’t follow that one is better than the other. It also depends a great deal on how well each input is implemented on a DAC.
@grizaudio maybe we just enjoy jitter! 
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I take it you used SPDIF out of the Pi2AES HAT? I listened to Hifiberry Digi + Pro compared to USB on my RME and could not really tell them apart at all.
No not blind tests.
It’s interesting when someone is asked to taste Pepsi and Coke, or Potato chips Smiths V’s Kettle, you don’t need to be blind tested to know which one you prefer/tastes better to you.
There are always two sides to the coin, and there is much written about why blind tests may not be valid, but I agree they have their place, and if differences can’t be heard in a blind test, do differences even exist? The same can be said for measurements…
My method of comparison; I started with two separate RPI4’s connected to my system, allowing time separation between sources.
1 - USB feed by ifi power x
2 - Pi2AES hat - spdif / BNC output
I started a track with a 5 second break between each unit, and immediately switched between the two comparing played music. I did this for a few hours, but heard the differences immediately on more complex music.
I then moved to setup 1x RPI4, powered by an ifi Power-x SMPS, and Meanwell 24vdc SMPS to the hat. I grouped both outputs in Roon, and again listened for many hours, again and again comparing tracks. In this circumstance music was time matched.
With electronica and it was difficult to tell a difference (I listen to a lot of Jazz and electronica), so I moved to more complex Jazz, with cymbals and snare work. It became instantly apparent the Pi2Aes had more HF presence, mid range clarity and much better decay on tails. IMO, music sounds more life like in my system. (Reduced Jitter/Noise?)
Look I’m not hear to convince people there are differences between sources. That’s your call.
I previously felt the same, following ASR/Archimago tests, thinking digital 1’s and 0’s couldn’t be different. I’m not hear to convince anyone, I just wanted to post my experience. My experience tells me there are differences.
I have had tried many sources in my system, Laptop USB, PC/Laptop via Audiophilleo/Vlink/Yellowtec Puc2, NUC, CXNv2, Pioneer N70a, RPI4 USB, RPI Spdif. They all sound different. Even playback software can sound different, I.e. Audivarna, Roon, Vortexbox, MQN, Playpcmwin, Foobar, etc etc - But lets not open that can of worms.
I think one of the other posters is correct, simply choose your flavour.
But in my opinion, the Pi2aes is a step up.
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Agreed, I should have used “preferred”, as the hifi game is all about subjectivity.
However, I am not sure I agree the Pi2aes has more jitter.
In fact jitter is incredibly low. PI2AES Digital Audio Shield for the Raspberry PI | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum
I know what jitter sounds like, and during testing HF’s did not become hard or brittle.
IMO, the Pi2aes provides more detail, decay and separation between instruments.
Its not huge, but its there. I don’t want to use all the audiophile terms, but for me, its an improved source. Like I said, if I had never of tried the Pi2AES I would have been happy with direct USB.
Best to try for one’s self.
Correct.
I tried Spdif, and single ended AES on BNC.
Another nice treat of the Pi2AES is its buffered I2S pinout. My DAC uses a Neutrik XLR connector for I2S in, so no HDMI or RJ45 connector… But I can use the pinout on the Pi2AES board with a special cable my DAC manufacturer provides.
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Nor do I … I was using humour since some people think jitter is an issue. But what I’m really saying is that one persons “better” may be caused by more noise, jitter, distortion etc. Without objectivity you cannot say A is better than B, but you can say you prefer A to B.
To hear jitter the device must be broken or very poorly implemented. Jitter isn’t an issue today it’s a marketing ploy.
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Thanks for the detail on your tests. Again, I wasn’t trolling, just wanted to know whether that was a feature of the tests, given that you reported a detailed testing process. And again, thanks for laying out the detail. Too often, people report tests, but don’t tell us how they performed them. Reporting such detail, as you have, is important. Happy listening!
p.s. In testing coke vs pepsi, or potato chips, or wines, or drug efficacy, or almost anything (including audio), blind testing is in fact commonly used in order to remove the confounding effect of a test subject being aware of which tested item is which, and any associated biases/preferences for that item (conscious or even unconscious). The “pepsi challenges” was single blind. See:
In my professional life (not audio related), this (double blind) is standard operating procedure for testing differences in either preferences or efficacy. But no need to respond. This thread is not about blind testing, and there are plenty of places to discuss blind testing and audio on the internet ad infinitum (including places where the people arguing actually think (incorrectly) that the test subjects are wearing blindfolds. 
I’m also a happy RME ADI-2 User and found, that switching from Ropieee to VitOS on the same Pi4 made a (positive) difference in SQ via USB.
Which software did you use during your testing?
I always use CD via SPDIF (source: PS Audio PerfectWave Transport, essentially being a streamer itself, ripping CDs on the fly) as a reference for testing, comparing the sound of the original CD to the rip via Roon. The aim here is to make sure the sound equals the experience of the original CD (which is excellent), so i can happily enjoy the comfort of Roon without missing out on sound quality.
To my ears and in my setup, Roon via RPi4 running VitOS and CD via SPDIF are indistinguishable. Both sound excellent, detailed and emotionally engaging in way that you can’t just ignore the music being played.
Of course, theres always room for improvement …
Regards, Roland
Thanks for the reply.
I understand that blind testing typically provides different results to AB testing in which items are known. I also agree blind tests could be helpful in removing bias… But I’m pretty comfortable with my observations, and that’s good enough for me. I’m not really interested in deep diving past this, life is way too short.
This is an interesting perspective on blind tests:
I’m sure that even if I completed a double blind test, the digital is digital crowd would disagree with my observations anyway.
Maybe one day, I’ll have my wife or friend help with a blind test, but for now I am comfortable with my repetitive testing protocol.
I use Ropieee XL, as I also utilise Spotify connect, Upnp, etc.
I have read some users favour VitOS. However the lack of support for Spotify connect, uPnP, etc has meant I haven’t tried.
I might give VitOS a try, and complete a direct comparison to Ropieee XL using independent RPI4 players and a small time separation for instant switching.
Many users have reported increased clarity, etc which is similar to the benefits I describe from the Pi2aes. However as always, some users report no difference.
I read this thread and thought it would be interesting to investigate power supply noise coming out of the RPi stock supply and USB outputs connected to the DAC.
Additionally, I developed a low noise linear power supply having two outputs – one to run the RPi and one to run the sink side of the USB output. This linear supply takes a 12 Vdc input, filters it, and then regulates it sown to 5.25 Vdc through two stages of linear voltage regulation.
Initial results are very positive, but I’ve got more work to do.
The analysis is fairly technical - hopefully I presented it in a way that is easy to digest.
https://1drv.ms/w/s!Am4mUJvVR_bzgcUpL_3HSnDwn2VbDw?e=hhMC6Y
Tom
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Some testing on the Pi2aes, V’s industry Digital to Digital Converters.
I’ve read this thread pretty much from start to finish and although it’s dragged on for so long I thought I’d stir the hornets nest.
What tests can show, prove is irrelevant when it comes to actually listening to music through equipment. Proving the earth is round or flat doesn’t matter as the countryside your walking through is beautiful. This is the same for music via equipment.
My whole setup costs £480 and I prefer its sound over my other setup which costs £5000. Audiophiles would say the more you spend the better the sound quality.
I’m not an audiophile but I have friends who are and have spent £10k to £60k on parts of the system. They self admit that it’s like looking for the holy grail.
I tricked one of my friends into believing he was listening to a £5000 DAC and £2000 streamer when in fact he was listening to a £140 DAC and a RPi4 with an Allo DigiOne HAT through some Wharfedale Diamond 9.1s disguised as something else. Whilst the system lacked a scale that his system has he honestly believed he was listening to some merging costing thousands. He hasn’t moved to cheaper components. Quite the opposite, he’s spent more trying to get his system sounding better. LOL
Music quality is down to the listener. Listening to music should be because you love music. That’s my opinion.
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Fair points, and this is what you’d hope for regardless of what you’re buying. More money should get you better quality. It does not always work out, but if not, make better decisions next time. 
Amir at ASR is bringing to light disruptive products that offer uncommonly high objective performance at continually decreasing prices. In some cases, that objective performance actually translates into highly engaging listening.
This is a great time to be in this hobby. Enjoy it while it lasts!
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Thank you very much, David!
After reading all those argument about hearing vs measurement, not just from this forum and all over the Hifi related forum, your writing is professional and very eye opening for me!
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Hi Ronny,
I just bought an Intona usb 3 isolator (1kv) with rpi4 running ropieexl, the led status is blinking in green color and it means Intona cannot lock the signal from rpi4. but intona can lock the signal with windows laptop (led status is green on)
I have been testing with different cables with same result, (with or without power supply input), could you share how do you make it works ? thanks.
I’d have to agree that today, you can get or build what was until a few years ago - probably considered as a “top - end” and expensive system for comparatively very little money indeed
I’d cite one example I have here at home - an RPi 4 running Ropieee with an Audioquest Dragonfly Red plugged into it. The sound into headphones and using a 3.5mm jack into an old Sony hi-fi is just superb.
It’s both a great application of new technology but importantly this flexibility and ability to integrate a whole heap of stuff also has given some old bits of kit around here a completely new lease of life - and Roon helps integrate all that diversity into one system.
At the other end of the spectrum, in my music studio, I can stream and playback using Roon through a superb Innuos Zenith SE and the Phoenix USB reclocker straight into a Kii Control and then to a pair of Kii Threes that work their magic for an unbelievably great sounding room - both to work in and relax in. It’s minimalist and is a low component count (future-fi as John Darko calls it) which is great for a small room with mixing kit and studio gear crammed into it as well.
The room spends about 70% of the time like that
I am fortunate enough to have both ends of the spectrum - but it’s a very individual judgement, and I can hear a big difference in the two systems obviously… the Kii sound is just amazing - very “neutral” and I hesitate here to say -“accurate” 
… but that’s not to everyone’s taste because it is my opinion (and only that) that the population have become conditioned to boomy bass and a slightly muddled bass line and obscured mid range as a result.
All I know is that a single AEA stereo mic recording here, when immediately replicated by the Kii’s - has stunned a few musicians here - get the mic placement and levels right and it is like they were still sat playing…
Kudos to @Kii_Audio for such a fantastic system.
So do you have to spend a fortune to get great sound?
NO.
The laws of diminishing returns do apply here, so I’m all for finding out what you like and can afford, and then make the most of it and just listen to the music…
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I‘ll do that. Sunday.