Denafrips IRIS + Hi-Fi USB Card = Overkill?


Hello Everyone,

So, I am always looking for ways to improve my system.

Although, Digital and Analog sound good right now, I feel I could always squeeze out more performance.

On the Digital Side, I have a PC that I built that I use for Qobuz, FLAC, DSD.

A little while back I discovered Hi-Fi USB Cards, like the Matrix Element. My thought was perhaps with a card like that going to my DAC, I could improve my Digital Game.

Now, I just recently discovered Digital to Digital Converters (didn't even know such a thing existed). 

In particular, I am looking a the Denefrips IRIS.

So I guess my question is to anyone who has gone done this path and has experience with it, would one type of device be better than the other? Meaning DDC vs Hi-Fi USB Card?

To me it seems like they are trying to accomplish the same thing.

Would combining both just be overkill and the results minimal?

Just wanted to see if anyone else has tried either or perhaps both together?

Did you feel it really improved vs just going from a PC directly to your DAC?

Thanks

Jay
128x128jay73
No, not overkill.

I did some research...although I have never heard about the Matrix Element (until now).

USB ports on desktop computers are typically very noisy at the data-power level. Laptops - not as much, but noise generated from any internals would degrade sound quality.

Power supplies (higher efficiency) PSUs would improve how efficiently your computer uses electricity. System noise and temperatures of the CPU would also be reduced. This is inherently positive... a win for digital audio & overall computing.

I think it’s brilliant of you to share this..so thank you. There are many folks with USB DACs who want to optimize performance.

For laptops, ifi has a jitter eliminator (which also includes a noise cancelation filter). With devices like this, it appears that we are actively improving the quality of the digital signal; therefore bettering playback quality to our headphones and/or speakers.
@mastering92

Thanks for your prompt input 

I just realized something, I was looking at the Denefrips website just now and saw that the IRIS actually does not have a USB output, only input (for some reason I thought it did).

Since my DAC does not have a I2S input, I would be limited to COAX and or Optical Input from the IRIS and therefore would forfeit DSD Playback.

I like listening to DSD and so it looks like this solution may not work for me unless I upgrade my DAC to something that has I2S inputs also.

That probably won't happen anytime soon since I like my DAC, has been working well for me.

Looks like If I want to improve on digital side then perhaps my only option would be to use a Hi-FI Style USB Card with a Linear Power Supply and maybe a Jitter Eliminator as you stated.

I use a Ubiquiti Networks swatch with 2 Fibre connections. I use each connection to a Sonore OpticalRendu which then converts USB and into 2 DACs. It sounds great and better than RJ45 network streaming and other non-Fibre streaming such as the microRendu.

The fibre cable cannot carry analog noise in the network to the DAC.
@yyzsantabarbara 

Thanks for your feedback.

I was looking at the Sonore website and tried looking at their manual and also some Youtube video's.

I am trying to understand how this unit would work in my system if I were to get it. 

So I am assuming this is how it would work connection wise (correct me if I am wrong).

Currently, my PC connects wirelessly to my network. 

I am assuming I would instead have to connect my PC via Ethernet to a switch that supports SPF (Fiber Connection). From the switch it would go out to the Optical Rendu via Fiber and then from the Rendu via USB to my DAC?

Is that correct?

I am also assuming that my audio output (regardless of what I am playing: JRiver, Youtube, Qobuz, etc) on my PC somehow has to be configured to output via ethernet so that all the audio makes it to the Rendu and DAC?

Is that correct?

Do you use a PC of any sort for music playback?

Thanks