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Toslink vs USB
#1
I recently traded a power cable for a Lifatec Premium Silflex Glass Cable. Presumably one of the best toslink cables according to online reviews.
Around 120 euros. This seems quite a bit of money for a light carrier, but it's a low cost compared to most usual tweaks.
The Lifatec cable is about 4 times bigger in diameter than a stock toslink but is very flexible and feels really great, light and well made.

System 1:
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My primary source is a Mac mini (mid 2010).
Stock cable to Intona USB Galvanic Isolator (250 euro) + Oyaide Continental S5 (300 euros) to the Devialet.

System 2:
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A 2nd mac mini (2014) I use mainly for development.
Lifatec toslink to the Devialet.

The Test
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Made the same playlist on both macs, that included 3 albums by the Josephine Davies Sax Trio
Kind of angular wooden acoustic sounds, lots of cymbal work, kicks, snares etc., extensive upright bass solos, and of course the sax.
Hit play on both macs and kept switching sources every 2/3 minutes. Same volume.

Impressions
——————
My first impression was that both sources played identical.
I would find it difficult to remember any differences in the sound had I played via USB on one day, and on Toslink the next.

Upon continuous listening, several sessions maybe 30 minutes each, my preference started slowly shifting towards the toslink connection.
A slightly larger, wider sound, more upfront and a little better instrument separation and articulation. It also sounded a little louder via toslink (maybe about 4 to 5 db louder).

Soundstage, textures, rhythm, slam, and anything else that one may observe during such test were identical on both systems.

I have arrived at my USB output setup (i.e. Intona Isolator + top of the range Oyaide Cable) after many alterations and trials of various USB line cleaners and cables, but it currently looks like the simpler Lifatek Toslink setup will replace it.

There are a few differences in the Mac minis I used, that may have had some impact.
System 1 has all music stored on an external 2TB SSD, while system 2 played off the hard disc (i.e. no added bus Noise), plus system 2 runs with 16GB of Ram instead of 8.
System 1 is connected to the LAN via PowerLink ethernet cable, while system 1 via WiFi.
But I would assume the effects there would be negligible.
Maybe I will swap cables and try again.

Happy new Year!
Mac Mini + Matrix X-SPDIF2 + Echoes Music 1  |  Pro-Ject CD Box RS2T  ⏵  Devialet Expert 250 Pro  ⏵  Boenicke W5 SE, B&W ASW 608 Sub
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#2
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P A R T T W O
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Well, as i had the rig set for testing, I carried on with the test, adding my 2nd primary source:
The highly regarded Project CD Box RS2T (2500 euro), connected to the Devialet via Kimber KCAG digital RCA cable (400 euros), also using an external linear power supply I got from China.

The cost difference between 1 & 2 was relatively small, but with system 3, it is almost 3k.
I decided to add 2 more albums (Arovane - Atol Scrap & Beatrice Dillon - Workaround) kind of electronic IDM/DUB, deeper bass higher highs, stronger and more rhythmic beats.

While my initial preference to the Toslink (as of previous test) was confirmed at the start, adding System 3 didn't seem to change things much.
By the time a completed the first 20 minutes of all 2 discs, changes were appearing clearer, as the CD player improved things somewhat.
Definitely not day & night with the Toslink based system, but there was greater musicality, individual notes appeared to have a longer tail and be more natural.

There still is one more test I would like to do (as mentioned before), by swapping the cables on the 2 minis, but so far I kind of feel, that overall differences were not as dramatic as I expected.
Definitely of lesser impact than changing speaker or power cables on the Dev.
The CD system had a slight edge over the Mac/Toslink, but I suspect Devialet has done a great job in isolating whatever artefacts come along with the digital signal, from any source, and offer the listener a consistent rendering.
Mac Mini + Matrix X-SPDIF2 + Echoes Music 1  |  Pro-Ject CD Box RS2T  ⏵  Devialet Expert 250 Pro  ⏵  Boenicke W5 SE, B&W ASW 608 Sub
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#3
Toslink has the benefit of total galvanic isolation.

For USB, I've recently found a gem - the FIBBR Alpha USB cable which is optical only. Requires a good 5V power supply on receiving end to sound best. I'm now using this cable alone between a PC and my Singxer SU-6 DDC. Very good and outperforms my previous set up with an Audioquest Diamond USB and Uptone ISO Regen. Still using the Uptone LPS 1.2 super capacitor as the 5V power supply for the FIBBR cable.
Devialet 1000 Pro CI - AQ Diamond AES RCA-XLR Link
PC - ifi iDefender+ - FIBBR Alpha Optical USB + "Studer 900" LPS - Singxer SU-6 - AQ Diamond AES
PSB Imagine T3  AQ William Tell Zero / Tornado / DBS Level-X  -  PliXir Balanced AC
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#4
I got very bad surprise with usb oyade cable being not transparent at all.
I initially though that the usb input of a D200 or D220 was not the good choice but after changing the oyade cable for a basic printer cable with ferrite everything changed....
On the contrary alwyas found that toslink even with a lifatek was well below AES/EBU as input on D200 and D220.
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#5
(06-Jan-2022, 22:45)renan Wrote: I got very bad surprise with usb oyade cable being not transparent at all.
I initially though that the usb input of a D200 or D220 was not the good choice but after changing the oyade cable for a basic printer cable with ferrite everything changed....
On the contrary alwyas found that toslink even with a lifatek was well below AES/EBU as input on D200 and D220.

I looked up the Oyaide usb cable and they’re flat cables. That’s possible the worst way to build a cable. You would be lucky if you could use it as a printer cable if it were a bit too long.
                                                    Lifetime Roon, Mac mini, int. SSD, ext. HDD, tv as monitor, key board and track pad on bean bag as remote,Devialet 200, Od'A #097, Blue jeans speaker cable,                                     
                                                                                                                                                                            Dynaudio C1 MkII.
                                                                                                                                                                              Jim Smith's GBS.
                                                                                                                                                                        Northern NSW Australia.
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#6
(07-Jan-2022, 07:15)Pim Wrote:
(06-Jan-2022, 22:45)renan Wrote: I got very bad surprise with usb oyade cable being not transparent at all.
I initially though that the usb input of a D200 or D220 was not the good choice but after changing the oyade cable for a basic printer cable with ferrite everything changed....
On the contrary alwyas found that toslink even with a lifatek was well below AES/EBU as input on D200 and D220.

I looked up the Oyaide usb cable and they’re flat cables. That’s possible the worst way to build a cable. You would be lucky if you could use it as a printer cable if it were a bit too long.

Having used the optical cable for a week, I kind of returned to the USB connection, to give it another try, before I decide which one to settle with.
Right now I feel the USB connection sounds slightly more natural over long hours of playing.
But as said earlier both connections are more or less equivalent on my system, and my decision may be based more on simplicity than anything else. I do think that the less connections, connectors, cables, etc, the better.

On USB cables :
I did try several ordinary USB "printer" cables, and found some better, some not so good. I also owned the flat Oyaide d+ Class S, and some of the cheaper Nordost & Wireworld cables but didn't feel they offered much improvement from ordinary USB cables, except perhaps in build quality.
The Continental 5S is not a flat cable. It is round and relatively thick, and used along with the Intona USB, is my favourite USB implementation so far.
Mac Mini + Matrix X-SPDIF2 + Echoes Music 1  |  Pro-Ject CD Box RS2T  ⏵  Devialet Expert 250 Pro  ⏵  Boenicke W5 SE, B&W ASW 608 Sub
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#7
(06-Jan-2022, 22:45)renan Wrote: ...On the contrary always found that toslink even with a lifatek was well below AES/EBU as input on D200 and D220.

Just tried a Matrix X-SPDIF2 Converter, with an AES/EBU Crystal Cable to the D250.
Must admit, I didn't expect such a dramatic change. Energy + Clarity, especially in the mid to high frequencies. An instant keeper. Thanks.
Mac Mini + Matrix X-SPDIF2 + Echoes Music 1  |  Pro-Ject CD Box RS2T  ⏵  Devialet Expert 250 Pro  ⏵  Boenicke W5 SE, B&W ASW 608 Sub
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#8
Devialet chief engineer said the best input on the Devialet is the AES/EBU providing the source is good. (I was there when he said it). The reason for that is that Devialet doesn't have a high-quality clock and USB is asynchronous (i.e.the Dev is the master) whereas AES/EBU and SPDIF are (iso)synchronous (i.e. the source is the master). I use a Mutec MC3+USB with a Mutec Ref 10 clock for the conversion from USB to AES/EBU but now thinking of swapping it for a Denafrips Gaia which I'm borrowing from a friend now.
Win10/HQPlayer / Roon - Uptone Audio Etherregen switch / SOtM-SMS-200 ultra with clock input - Mutec REF 10 clock for the switch and the streamer - Denafrips GAIA DCC - Devialet D800 - YG Acoustics Carmel - Dual Elac SUB-2090 
power supplies: Uptone JS-2, SOtM SPS-500
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#9
(17-Apr-2022, 01:40)zdenes Wrote: Devialet chief engineer said the best input on the Devialet is the AES/EBU providing the source is good. (I was there when he said it). The reason for that is that Devialet doesn't have a high-quality clock and USB is asynchronous (i.e.the Dev is the master) whereas AES/EBU and SPDIF are (iso)synchronous (i.e. the source is the master). I use a Mutec MC3+USB with a Mutec Ref 10 clock for the conversion from USB to AES/EBU but now thinking of swapping it for a Denafrips Gaia which I'm borrowing from a friend now.

After replacing Mac Mini Late-2014(Audirvana as the audio player with Devialet Air; also tried Roon with Devialet Air & RoonReady) with the new PI2 Design Mercury Streamer(it's known with its affordable streamer solution PI2AES) fed by a linear power supply as a source, AES/EBU became my favorite connection. I never looked back. It is more detailed and clear than using DevialetAir or RoonReady for Devialet220 Pro.
Stereo Setup: Synology DS214Play NAS/Internet sources>> Supra CAT8 >> Ubiquiti Edge10X Switch>> Fiberoptical Cable >> SOTM SNH-10G Switch(S-Booster LPS) >> Supra CAT8 >> Euphony v4(Stylus with Qobuz, Tidal) running on RAM >> SOTM SNH-10G >> Supra CAT8 >> Mercury Streamer (GentooPlayer, MPD+UpMpdCli  running on RAM) + Fiio PL50 LPS >>  Mogami Gold AES XLR >> Devialet 220 Pro >> Echole Omnia Speaker/Jumper Cables >> B&W 804D3 Speakers on IsoAcoustics GAIA-II

Headphone Setup: Synology DS214Play NAS(CAT8) >> Ubiquiti Edge10X Switch>> Fiberoptical Cable >> SOTM SNH-10G Switch(S-Booster LPS) >> Supra CAT8 >> Euphony v4( Stylus with Qobuz, Tidal) running on RAM >> SOTM SNH-10G >> Supra CAT8 >>  Mercury Streamer(GentooPlayer , Mpd/UpMpdCli ) + Fiio PL50 LPS >>  RCA Coax >> Chord Hugo >> Fostex TH900 MK2
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