USB and Coaxial at the same time?


Is there any issue with having a coaxial digital  cable and a USB cable connected to my streamer at the same time? I like to compare the two by switching the input to my DDC unit. Some recordings may sound better on one rather than the other? mI read somewhere this can be a problem but if so I don't know why? Thanks.

128x128fthompson251

Cool. Yeah the 70s rock wasn’t recorded to be played thru an accurate hi fi system 

I want to add a little.

Back in the pre-async USB days there seemed to be an argument that coax was a better option to optical because of lower jitter. I think this was due to the quality of the receviers and transmitters, not really a format problem. Coaxial was often preferred except when there were ground loop issues.

Coaxial could be galvanically isolated but wasn’t always, like USB today.

I don’t think there’s any credible argument that coax outperforms async-USB in terms of jitter today. USB of course is the only choice for very high resolution formats and DSD.

I used both coaxial and USB at the same time to test the sound of each on my Aurender N200. I called Aurender and they said it was not designed to use both cables in the unit at the same time. The difference was very slight. NowI only have coaxial connected.