Streamer only

One thing people seem to ignore (correct me please if I am wrong) is that to use the "better" clock in your external DAC over the one in a "cheap" streamer, you must use asynchronous USB or I2S, otherwise the clock in the streamer is doing the "driving".

@moonwatcher @audphile1 This is interesting and something I’ve wondered about.  I’m using a DDC to feed i2S to my DAC, so does that mean the clock in the DDC is bypassed and the clock in the DAC is the only one working?

@soix sorry, I’ve not yet gone down the rabbit hole of using a DDC but might do that sometime, so I don’t have any first hand experience with using one. I’ve only watched the videos on Vinshine’s website and YouTube channel about the Iris.

My limited understanding is that the DDC "somehow" takes over the clock duties from both the streamer and the DAC, and the DDC’s better clock circuit does its magic to reduce jitter even further. This would happen over I2S and USB but not (if I understand correctly) Toslink Coax or SP/DIF Optical. Perhaps someone else on here can illuminate how this works and if it is in a setting or if it is automatic. Weekend is here. Enjoy the music.

Oh, here is one of the videos I watched regarding using the Iris with a Pontus II:

Best Seller • Iris DDC + Pontus II DAC (vinshine.audio)

@soix I’m going to take a wild guess / make an assumption and say the DDC reclocks the signal before the output if this is your DDC (Hermes).

Don't want to hijack this thread. I too love my WiiM devices for what they are. But I don't see too many on here suggesting Cambridge Audio's $500 MXN10 or AXN10 as low-cost streamer options.  Stereophile has a review in the current issue and the guy liked the MXN10 very much, even used it with an inappropriate dCS DAC just for the heck of it to see how it would do. Given the retail price is roughly double that of the WiiM Pro Plus, can we surmise that the clock circuit in the Cambridge should be "better"? Anyone here have one to offer feedback?  Thanks. Oh, note that you can find "open box" MXN10s on Cambridge's eBay store for $399.