AIR 3 Beta for Mac

[baddog]

Hello
Now that AIR 3 proves to be more stable, would you recommend the "Mac mini > ETHERNET > D200" set up over "Mac mini > USB > D200" ?
Today I just connect the Mac mini to D200 with an audio quest Carbon USB - works fine but i wondered if AIR (Ethernet/Wifi) is better
Sorry but I'm totally lost with all these set ups ...
Thanks !

After having used a Mac Mini connected via USB to my D400 for quite some time, as well as using a Mac Mini connected via USB with a Regen to the D400, I can state that to my ears, using AIR3 and an ethernet connection to the D400 is an improvement in sound quality compared to USB.

In fact when compared in my system to using a microRendu connected via USB to the D400, I found AIR3 comparable in sound quality. 

That being said, everyone's ears and systems are different, so feel free to experiment. And all these various hardware/software configurations have different trade offs that may or may not be important to an individual.

For example, while I can send DSD64 via DoP to my D400 using the Mac Mini connected via USB, when using AIR3 I need to have DSD64 converted to PCM first. 

Of benefit to me, at least aesthetically, is the fact that I now have nothing in my listening room except for the D400, a power conditioner and speakers. Everything else ( Mac Mini, Synology NAS ) are now in different parts of the house.

Baddog,
I agree with your accessment....my Aries has been decommissioned but still working out the details with my network and Audirvana, etc...a bit rusty after moving to the Aries a year and a bit ago.  

Is your ethernet hard wired throughout or do you use access points with various Airport devices? 

 I am streamng wih Air3 from a remote Macbook and Synology attached to my Airport base station using an Airport Express as an access point to the D400...ethernet from the Express tomthe D.

Hi! I now have ethernet available through most rooms in my house.

So the Synology NAS is connected via ethernet to my cheap $20 switch. The Mac Mini and the D400 are also connected via ethernet to the same switch. That switch lives one floor below in a structured wiring panel. So, for each device there is about 30-50 foot run of ethernet.

Your setup should work well too, I assume you are just using the Airport Express to provide an ethernet connection to you network and not to also extend your wireless network?

BTW, I also retired an Aries a while back, but part of that was due to a switch to Roon, and the Aries not being RoonReady at the time. Regardless I am very pleased with the current setup.