Best USB DAC under $1000

I will toss in my recomendation: audition an April Music Stello DA100 Signature. The MSRP fits your budget and I have found it a very musical DAC for a committed analog guy.

I am very interested in the MHDT Havana or Paradisea+
for a music server I am planning.

Has anyone compared these 2 MHDT DACs using Glass
Toslink vs USB? I ask because I am either going with
a MacMini or an AppleTV. The AppleTV is my first
choice but it only has Toslink. If USB sounds better than
Toslink on the MHDT DACs, then I will end up getting
the MacMini which is able to stream digital over the
USB Port..

Has anyone compared these 2 MHDT DACs using Glass
Toslink vs USB?

I've done some comparisons. The SPDIF options are clearly superior on the Paradisea + that I recently sold, offering a better soundstage and image specificity. I haven't tried the same on a Havana, but have compared Havana to Paradisea using SPDIF. I'd say the Havana had superior extension at both ends, while I thought he Paradisea had a slightly smoother midrange. Overall, the extension was enough to make the Havana a clear choice to my ears, but I would not kick the Paradisea out of bed either. They are both fine DACs for the money. The Havana also gives you the option of rolling opamps for a slightly different sound. You'll have to hit someone else up on experience there as I have none. I'd definitely go for the SPDIF, unless the Havana converts USB straight to I2s.

Has everything you need, and more. Most likely under a year old. Superior to any of the lower priced dacs.

Jax2:

The AppleTV only has Toslink for Digital out and the
MacMini has both USB and Toslink. Neither have coax SPDIF.

So it looks like Toslink and USB are my only choices.
Do you have any impressions comparing Toslink vs USB
connections?