Bricasti Design M1 SE - W/ LAN Network Streamer - Version 1.51 V. Denafrips Terminator

The Nucleus is a computer that's what I was referring to. As long as everything is on the same network it should work. This isn't exactly correct but the easiest way to view it is the Roon core on the Nucleus is your database that accesses the music either on a NAS, hard drive, Tidal, radio stations etc.. and stores the metadata, the Bricasti is your endpoint where the Nucleus sends the stream. The Bricasti takes the stream, converts the digital to analog and sends it on to the preamp. Your iPad is the control center where you pick your music to play make any adjustments to Roon.

If your Roon server is not located near your DAC, then an ethernet connected DAC will have the advantage of not requiring a separate streamer. If it is located near the DAC, then I don't see that an ethernet connected DAC has much advantage over a USB connected DAC (assuming the DAC does a good job handling the USB connection).

With modern DAC implementations, both are asynchronous interfaces, with the DAC controlling all the timing. Some DACs do a poor job of isolating the noise from the interfaces, so you have to be somewhat careful with this, but the Denafrips Terminator that you are considering has an excellent USB interface that buffers and reclocks the data.

The main thing you have to be concerned about is noise on the USB connection being introduced into the DAC. I think you'd probably be quite happy with the Nucleus (using a good linear power supply) connected directly to the Terminator with a good USB cable, but you could always add something like the SOtM tx-USBultra or Denafrips Gaia between the Nucleas and Terminator if you wanted to make sure you were getting the purest signal possible. 

I haven't heard the Bricasti - it could be an excellent DAC. I have a Terminator and I'm quite impressed with it. 

@ddafoe I did not compare the M3 with the M1SE, but my dealer did and said that the latest version of M3 has a change to the main board that results in better sound over M1 (I think both flavors of M1); This assumes the fielded M1's have their original hardware.

@chesebert I had the MSB Discrete for a few months with both power supplies. At that time I had slightly different speakers than I do now so it's not a totally fair comparison (had Discrete with Dynaudio Confidence 30, now I have CF50); The discrete is an excellent DAC. I do think it faces very stiff competition from the M3 however, especially when you factor in the M3 is 50% less in price. I will not say one beats the other; Both are pretty awesome DACs and likely up there with state of the art sound in the price range. MSB performs the conversion from digital domain to analog via discrete R2R ladder, and the Bricasti does it with DSP and ADI 1955 multibit sigma-delta modulator and uses a very sophisticated patented direct digital synthesis (DDS) clock generator. 
I can tell you the M3 puts a huge smile on my face as it the portrays emotion and soul of the musical event in new ways to me. I don't recall any other digital component I've had in my listening environment having quite this effect on me before. I go by this as my yardstick, not lab measurements or what is better on paper, or what costs more. Cost generally is a factor yes, but sometimes there are those products that go way beyond their price point and are real head-scratchers. The Bricasti M3 performance to cost ratio is a game changer in my book; 

I believe this new Bricasti main board is available for the M1 now too...or soon. 

@dpac996 I feel like this generation of high-end DAC/streamers are really converging in terms of being almost indistinguishable from high-end turntables. I have heard the Naim ND555 and have Linn ADS Katatlyst and they both sound extremely good, like high-end table.