MacMini via ethernet or optical to Gold

[Mohmm]

toslink is always better than USB

USB: USB connections can suffer from electromagnetic interference, which may degrade audio quality, especially in environments with many electronic devices. Additionally, connection issues like cable wear can hinder audio fidelity.

Toslink: Being an optical medium, Toslink is more resilient to electromagnetic interference. This makes it ideal for setups where multiple electronic devices are in close proximity as it ensures a cleaner signal transfer.

if you insist to use USB, buy an expensive noise shield USB cable, or noise eliminator (such as iFi).

Thanks. I know about the low quality of USB, but my source does not have an optical out. That's why I could only use Toslink with a USB interface. This combines a bad USB and the 'good' Toslink. So, I'll stay with Ethernet.