@sns interesting re the new Ximius, first I’d heard of this. Re optical fibre I should clarify these are a matched pair of optically isolated USB converters: USB in > SFP socket > SFPs or AOC or DAC cables > SFP socket > USB out. Will use to feed my LHY UIP. Agree re improvements of optical in the normal Ethernet use case, I have an Afterdark pair with Finisar and Cisco AOCs etc. |
@kereru Not sure what you mean by optical usb isolators. Optical is an ethernet/network conversion. No provision or need to have usb isolator on first optical converter in line, the receiving optical converter has the usb isolation and output. EX: ethernet cable> Sonore OpticaModule>Sonore OpticalRendu via AfterDark optical cable>dac or ddc. Both Sonore powered via LPS and use Finisar 1475 transceivers in SFP sockets/modules. |
I agree with @sns. I actually have a network switch with SFP, so I run: Network Switch/SFP/Finisar Transceiver > Optical Fiber > Sonore Optical Module Deluxe > Ethernet > Sonore Micro Rendu > USB > LAiV Harmony DAC Optical isolation is definitely the way to go for network noise elimination. |
@catastrofe You have one excess conversion. Why are you doing OpticalModule to MicroRendu, you should be using OpticalRendu, keep it all optical post switch. then OpticalRendu via usb to ddc. I'll reiterate the vast superiority of I2S vs usb with Harmony, this not incremental change assuming one's system highly resolving/transparent. I don't believe it a necessity to have Gaia ddc in order to obtain superior performance with I2Sz, I'd bet on Denafrips Hermes, Singxer SU6 or something similar to be nice upgrade. Don't need high end I2S cable either, $70 cable I'm presently using is fine in most cases, can always upgrade this at later date. |
I've determined the Musetec 006 will be my reference dac for the near, perhaps longer term. Both presentations great, just ooze with ease and refinement, holistic, analog like sound quality. This especially true with both dacs slaved or synced to Gaia clock. Musetec ekes out an advantage with greater resolution, virtually infinite noise floor. Not that the Harmony at all bad here, I could easily live with it's level of resolution, very involving and wonderful dac!
Footnote to above, both dacs absolutely require I2S connection to reach their full potential, also necessary that I2S output or output device optimal, cheaping out on I2S won't get you much past usb. |
