Regarding point 2
I have stated in the past that Roon AIR is very good, but I do not think a comparison with the Mutec MC3+USB is that straight forward, so some points to consider.
Roon AIR and 'traditional' AIR perform to a much higher lever with the Pro amps versus the 'old' Expert. As an example, I used to run a microRendu to a Mutec MC3+USB as the source for my D800, this was clearly better than AIR. However, with the 1000Pro, the difference between the microRendu / Mutec MC3+USB and Roon AIR is very small indeed.
Another point to consider is that the Mutec MC3+USB is not a source as such, it needs something to feed it. I have found that the performance of the MC3+USB is very much dependent upon what you use to feed the MC3+USB. As an example, I have tried feeding the MC3+USB with a mid priced Blu-ray player, results are average. Move to the microRendu, much better, move to the SOtM sMS-200Ultra + tX-USBultra, there is a profound difference.
It is also interesting that that changing the feed to the MC3+USB can yield very different results to adding the REF10 to the MC3+USB. There are a lot of variables here.
Broadly speaking, if you are looking at a fairly standard PC feeding a Mutec MC3+USB + REF10 combination, then I would pretty much agree with Vivialet's comments in post #2. (If you have a Pro amp)
A quick comment re point 3. I am running Roon / HQPlayer / SOtM sMS-200Ultra + tX-USBultra + Mutec MC3+USB. With this particular set-up I get a latency of somewhere between 2 and 3 seconds, so a lot of lag. Not much of this latency comes from the MC3+USB though, if I run by Toslink from a TV to the Mutec there is no noticeable latency, lip-sync etc is fine.
I have stated in the past that Roon AIR is very good, but I do not think a comparison with the Mutec MC3+USB is that straight forward, so some points to consider.
Roon AIR and 'traditional' AIR perform to a much higher lever with the Pro amps versus the 'old' Expert. As an example, I used to run a microRendu to a Mutec MC3+USB as the source for my D800, this was clearly better than AIR. However, with the 1000Pro, the difference between the microRendu / Mutec MC3+USB and Roon AIR is very small indeed.
Another point to consider is that the Mutec MC3+USB is not a source as such, it needs something to feed it. I have found that the performance of the MC3+USB is very much dependent upon what you use to feed the MC3+USB. As an example, I have tried feeding the MC3+USB with a mid priced Blu-ray player, results are average. Move to the microRendu, much better, move to the SOtM sMS-200Ultra + tX-USBultra, there is a profound difference.
It is also interesting that that changing the feed to the MC3+USB can yield very different results to adding the REF10 to the MC3+USB. There are a lot of variables here.
Broadly speaking, if you are looking at a fairly standard PC feeding a Mutec MC3+USB + REF10 combination, then I would pretty much agree with Vivialet's comments in post #2. (If you have a Pro amp)
A quick comment re point 3. I am running Roon / HQPlayer / SOtM sMS-200Ultra + tX-USBultra + Mutec MC3+USB. With this particular set-up I get a latency of somewhere between 2 and 3 seconds, so a lot of lag. Not much of this latency comes from the MC3+USB though, if I run by Toslink from a TV to the Mutec there is no noticeable latency, lip-sync etc is fine.
1000 Pro - KEF Blade - iFi Zen Stream - Mutec REF10 - MC3+USB - Pro-Ject Signature 12
