A DDC between source and DAC is normally for “cleaning up” and improving USB input, most often from PC as streaming or SSD source. While a streamer like EverSolo is also a computer inside a box, streamers are designed for one purpose and don’t have same noise levels as a PC feeding a DAC by USB. From what I’ve read, EverSolo is an excellent product, likely well designed and implemented, so I doubt a DDC clock in between would make much of an audible difference.
Clocks, from good, better to best are FEMTO, TCXO, OCXO. I have a Pontus II 12th (FEMTO) fed by an IRIS (TXCO) via I2S from a dedicated fan-less silent miniPC via USB. I can tell a pretty significant difference with the IRIS in the chain, call it 10-15% better. Darker background, more soundstage depth and detail. It may be confirmation bias, but I was also able to discern a difference (better by 10%) when I had a Topping D90LE (FEMTO) in the chain. The Topping was best in class SINAD when released, a very transparent, clean, no coloration presentation. I don’t consider darker backgrounds, details and soundstage depth to be color, bur definitely improvement!
However, like you I prefer the sound signature of the Denafrips R2R NOS. The Denafrips website states the Pontus 15th has LPNO crystal oscillators (don’t know where that fits in the good, better, best!) that reclock the signal to reduce jitter. So I think you’d be getting better clocking than from the EverSolo, even though the source usually conrols timing, at least with USB input. Also, it doesn’t look like the Pontus 15th has world clock inputs, so I’m not sure you could synch the Pontus 15th with a world clock DDC like you can with the Venus or Terminator.
Conclusion, I think you’ll be very happy streaming the EverSolo bypassing its DAC to the Pontus 15th!
