DAC connection: which type gives highest fidelity?


Suppose one wants to connect two digital devices, as in a streamer to an outboard DAC or similar.

Which is the highest fidelity connection?  USB, coaxial, or other?

Thanks!
bobbydd


bobbydd OP
DAC connection: which type gives highest fidelity?


The very best was/is?
If you have the optical AT&T bnc type high speed optical glass fibre connector’s that Wadia and ML’s some used in their top models, these are the best, and you use them with a dab on the ends of the expensive "optical indexing fluid" that gives them an air free mating connection. The glass fibre lead is very fragile and can't be bent too much as the glass fibre cracks.

Cheers George
This is from the Pontus 2 spec list on the Denafrips page. I have no reason to doubt what Alvin passed on to jjSS49, so beware there.
DSD
DSD64 (DoP) on Coax/AES/Opt Input  
DSD1024* On USB & I²S Input Only
PCM
24bits / 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192KHz On All Input  
1536kHz* On USB & I²S Input

Clearly, Denafrips has put a great deal of effort into their USB and I2S inputs as they probably reasonably expect those to be the most commonly used.

As have Antipodes with the USB output on their line of server/streamers of which I'm a very happy owner.

I have the S30 and use Roon with a Curious Cables USB cable into my Pontus and it sounds fantastic to me when streaming Redbook and higher.

I'm considering trying one of the Denafrips reclockers to use the I2s input as their DACs respond very positively to that input by all accounts.
Just curious about the Node/Denafrips issues. I feed my Denafrips Ares II via the Node (2021) using only digital RCA coax. I listen to Tidal and Qobuz at all bit and sampling rates available; I’ve never witnessed this at all to be honest.

I’ve seen this issue documented here and on other forums, but maybe the issue was resolved with newer generation of Node products? Or am I just lucky? 🍀
to my understanding the older models actually were ok, it is the newer models that have this problem (by the time i experienced the issue my ares 2 was long gone, so cannot comment there)

for example, my original pontus made in 2019 received the node digital feed fine, yet the newer model with ’ii’ elements (production mid 2020) as well as the gaia (both using the same input receiver) have had this problem - i actually picked up a gaia to try to solve the problem but alas, no dice...