USB to SPDIF Convertors ideal?

[krass]

I've been wondering about that, too.  Off the top of my head, I can't see how the USB input could be improved upon for accuracy of data delivery, since it doesn't require the Devialet to recover the audio sample clock as does AES/EBU or S/PDIF.  Also there is much more robust error detection in USB.  But - speculating wildly - it may be that the USB input is more prone to inject noise into the Devialet ground plane?

I thought that there was no reclocking of SPDIF signal at the target, and that this was the reason for the 'weakness' of using SPDIF as an interconnect format (leading to the problem of poor jitter performance due to the SPDIF cable, either it's quality or excessive length, etc).

ie; it works a bit like the way synchronous USB DAC's did before the arrival of asynchronous USB architecture and the input buffering/reclocking.

if my assumption is correct, then the timing/jitter performance is derived from:
a) the USB-SPDIF converters own clock if SPDIF input used to Dev
b) the DEV USB reclocking if using the USB input on the Dev

in this case the perceived performance of the SPDIF solution could be expected to be better than the USB solution if the SPDIF had a great design. 
Or not ?

As an aside, I do prefer the Audiophilleo to the DEV USB sound. I don't think this is expectation bias as I was expecting to sell the Audiophilleo, and now I can't