DDC Comparisons

@sls883 thanks for the tip - 

If planning to use I2S for the long run make sure both dac and ddc have pin configuration ability. With this you can use ddc with any dac and vice versa.

As for ddc, I have Denafrips Gaia, wanted highest quality clock, power supply to that clock and usb optimization on input. I tried intermediate steps with I2S in the past, compared to my already optimized usb I2S was not an upgrade, adding the Gaia tuned the tables. However, not everyone is going to hear the full potential of Gaia with present streaming setups, Gaia for mature/fully optimized streaming setups.

Singxer SU6 is a nice mid price ddc, may find used or stretch the budget a bit.

Oh crap, please disregard my prior recommendation on the U18.  I meant all else being equal I’d take the SU6 over the Iris. 🙄😖  I’m not familiar with the U18 but highly doubt I’d take it over an Iris.  Sorry for my confusion. 

Denafrips is going thru their lineup upgrading everything.  I would like to know if they will be upgrading all their DDC's.  

The Matrix X+SPDIF 2 was one of the first. If your DAC makes the i2s interface sound better you would probably get better SQ with a different DAC.