Roon Nucleus as Network Player

I'm using Roon ROCK running on a NUC8 i7 (essentially the same as a Nucleus Plus) but just as a server - streaming through a Bryston BDP-2 with AES connection to my DAC.

I'm curious to hear how well the Nucleus works streaming directly over USB. Many manufacturers are investing a lot to make USB a better option for input (compared to SPDIF and AES) and I suspect in the future USB will be the preferred option for most DACs. 

I am using Roon ROCK on a NUC connected by USB to a DAC. USB is being galvanic isolated in DACs it’s just as good. I don’t know all the flowery language the reviewers use but it sounds great to me. It’s better than when I used a Node2i as the streamer. I’ll be changing and using a miniDSP Studio as the endpoint . I want to try dirac I wish you could integrate it into roon.

Thank you both for your input.

jaytor, if you happen to have a decent USB cable, and if your DAC is USB capable, I'd be very interested to get your take on the comparison.

djones51.  The miniDSP Studio and Dirac is something I've thought about as well.  Just conjecture on my part ... if you went USB out from your NUC to the USB Audio input on the miniDSP Studio and then Toslink, spdif or AES-EBU out from the miniDSP Studio to your DAC, could you not achieve both use of Roon interface and Dirac for DSP?

That's probably what I'll do.  I was thinking I wish you could simply export Dirac filters to Roon and not need the minidsp in the chain. 

Not to side track the thread but I have been on fence with Dirac tech. I am particularly interested in hearing feedback on DDRC-22D. 

https://www.minidsp.com/dirac-series/ddrc-22d