Sorry. Lower jitter and noise numbers are GENERALLY associated with better SQ. Looking at just the numbers for the PI2AES DDC, you can see a comparison of jitter and noise for ethernet (streaming) input and different digital outputs - BNC, AES, Optical (SPDIF) and SPDIF (Coax). Of the four...

Maybe this chart I put together will help:

AFAIK, I2S is regarded as the best SQ, followed by SPDIF coax and then AES. You may not hear a difference unless your system is highly resolving. I hear the most differences when I listen particularly to sound staging: width, depth and pin-point localization.

Wrong thread. However, I2S pinouts are shown in respective user manuals. I didn't bother to compare; but it appears that neither device has user-configurable I2S pinouts. Since their I2S pinouts seem to be incompatible, try SPDIF coax. Almost as good IMHO.

Based on early positive subjective reviews and the fact that GoldenSound had measured the Holo Red to have approximately half the jitter levels of the Pi2AES and Mercury V1, I went ahead and ordered the Holo Red. I got it earlier this week and use it strictly in streamer mode with I2S output...