[gimmeheadroom]

U2 Pro will convert USB to S/PDIF, there are more such devices. Before I upgraded clocks on my R2R-11, converter was giving me slightly better SQ than direct USB on my most noisy laptop, similar to other reports. It was DIY upgrade, ordinary users have no option than ordering a full mk2 upgrade with isolator. But I am sure Kingwa will do it when asked during ordering.

I saw Matrix has something similar on the Magna hifi site. I didn't see any reviews of it though.

And I didn't understand why you wrote DDC won't help or why it wouldn't be better than one of these USB to S/PDIF converter boxes. Was your comment specific to IIS or more general?

 

[sajunky]

Of course, it was specific to I2S, I mentioned it, but not clear, sorry.

 

[Pharmaboy]

I have the Matrix Audio DDC, purchased from Arthur @power-Holdings (always a good experience): "Matrix Audio SPDIF 2 Femto Clock & Format Convertor." Before this I used SPDIF converters for years, most recently the Musical Fidelity V-link 192/24, which I will soon press into service in my side system, when I eventually install the fully burned-in R2R-11 MK2 (~2 weeks from now).

I prefer the sound of SPDIF+good coax cable to USB in every DAC I tried it with. The differences are subtle, usually in the direction of slight warm + a more natural, organic, "flowing" feel to the music (net/net: it sounds more analog).

This DDC is a whole other matter. Beyond allowing me to use my favorite coax cable straight into the MHDT Labs Orchid DAC, it also produced new/real sonic changes, all intriguing & good IMO. Judged by the sound on my vintage KEF 103.2s + JLAudio sub (easier to hear DDC changes on speakers than headphones), as soon as I installed this DDC, I heard a more distinct center image than before; Left to Right soundstaging became a little wider (soundstage isn't very overt in the nearfield, but it did get better); and pretty much every note, sound and sonic cue became clearer & more distinct. There was zero change in tonality per se, but a distinct change in the presentation of notes. It's like getting more resolution with no fatigue.

This DDC also has an I2S output, which I can't use currently. I regard that output as "future proofing," should I ever get a DAC w/I2S input. BTW, this I2S is configurable to some degree, awfully helpful given that there is no universal I2S standard for DAC, meaning that the pin-out/layout can be different for different DACs.

This DDC cost ~$430, which in DDC land is rather inexpensive. There are much praised DDCs out there that cost upwards of $2K. For example, Denafrips offers 3 DDCs of ascending price and complexity/sophistication.

Bringing all this back to the new R2R-11 MK2, it will always get signal from a SPDIF converter or DDC, though I may install the USB driver on one of the computers just as a temp workaround if there's a problem w/the converter.

I'm burning in the R2R-11 MK2 on an old laptop. I installed the USB driver on that system, and it's working normally and sounds quite good, though the DAC portion is only ~50% burned in. I did not get the upgraded USB implemementation that costs an extra ~$70, But so far, stock USB sounds just fine. I'm guessing it's the same hardware as what AGD used on the 10 Anniversary DAC-19, which the R2R-11 MK2 will soon replace (which also sounds just fine via USB straight in).

Final point: It helps to keep all this stuff in perspective. After various delta/sigma DACS, then a multibit & 3 NOS designs, I can say with confidence that the differences between multibit/NOS vs delta-sigma are far larger than the difference between USB input vs SPDIF, or even DDCs. The gains in refinement and musicality that I got from my first non-delta/sigma DAC were immediate and significant.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I have the Matrix Audio DDC, purchased from Arthur @power-Holdings (always a good experience): "Matrix Audio SPDIF 2 Femto Clock & Format Convertor." Before this I used SPDIF converters for years, most recently the Musical Fidelity V-link 192/24, which I will soon press into service in my side system, when I eventually install the fully burned-in R2R-11 MK2 (~2 weeks from now).

I prefer the sound of SPDIF+good coax cable to USB in every DAC I tried it with. The differences are subtle, usually in the direction of slight warm + a more natural, organic, "flowing" feel to the music (net/net: it sounds more analog).

This DDC is a while other thing. Yes, it allows me to use my favorite coax cable straight into the MHDT Labs Orchid DAC, which sounds better than USB in the usual ways. But it also produced real sonic changes, all intriguing and good. Judging by the sound from my vintage KEF 103.2s + JLAudio sub, as soon as I put this DDC in the system, I heard a more distinct center image than before; Left to Right soundstaging got a little wider (soundstage isn't easy or obvious in this nearfield system, but it did get better); and pretty every note, sound and sonic cue became clearer & more distinct. There was no change in tonality per se, but a distinct change in the presentations of notes. It's like getting more resolution but zero add'l fatigue.

This DDC also has an IS2 output, which I cannot currently use. I regard that output as "future proofing," in the event I ever get a DAC w/IS2 input. BTW, this IS2 is configurable to some degree, awfully helpful given that there is no universal IS2 standard for DAC, meaning that the pin-out/layout can be different for different DACs.

This DDC cost ~$430, which in DDC land is rather inexpensive. There are much praised DDCs out there that cost upwards of $2K. Denafrips offers 3 DDCs of ascending price and complexity/sophistication.

Bringing all this back to the new R2R-11 MK2, it will always get signal from a SPDIF converter or DDC, though I may install the USB driver on one of the computers just as a temp workaround if there's a problem w/the converter.

Final point: I'm burning in the R2R-11 MK2 on an old laptop in a separate room. I did install the USB driver on that system, and it's working totally normally and sounding quite good, though only ~50% burned in. My USB implementation is the stock one, not the upgrades that cost an extra ~$70. Obviously I can't comment on sonic differences between stock vs upgrade, but so far, stock USB sounds just fine. I'm guessing it's the same basic hardware as what AGD used on the 10 Anniversary DAC-19, which the R2R-11 MK2 will replace (which also sounds just fine).

After a number of delta-sigma DACS followed by 1 multibit & 3 NOS/multibit designs, I can say with some confidence that the difference between multibit/NOS vs delta-sigma are far larger than the difference between stock USB input vs upgrade input--or even between those and SPDIF converters or DDCs. The gain in refinement and musicality that I got from my first non-delta/sigma DAC vs d/s was immediate and significant.

​

Lots of good info there as usual and thanks for commenting on the Matrix box.