Optical vs Ultra Rendu.

FWIW, last fall I upgraded my digital chain from a VBA to Sonic transporter i5, UR, and SGC LPS.  I use the switch SGC recommended, a $22 Trendnet.  My system always seemed quiet, before and after upgrade.  I did not try OR.  My DAC lacked USB, which I was happy living without until the UR arrived, requiring a USB DAC.  Long story short, none of DACs I tried (4 DACs priced from $500 to $1300) sounded as good as my old  DAC.  The solution was the SGC USB to S/PDIF adapter.  Pricey at $500, but everything sounds pretty good now.  I will say that this digital chain is more revealing and less euphonic than the old set up, so I can now differentiate between really good recordings and not so good ones.  Honestly, I miss the euphony a bit.  I might try that iFi power supply for the switch.

bondmanp - VBA?

Hello thanks for the info 

I spent $1500 on the New Reference  Excellent Final Touch Audio USB  cable for my dac, ,which is a Huge step up from the AQ Diamond ,WWorld platinum 8 , purist 30 anniversary and several others 2x as much ,their $900 Callisto-usb I still have and  has many great reviews ,I spend also  $800 on their Ethernet cable which is exceptional ,I never thought Digital cables can bring my system this close to Analog sounding without loosing detail.                                                                             these Sonore optical cables are $1200 each x2 is Thst correct?  plus you need a how many Ethernet cables 3 ?

from modem  to router, then from router to the Sonore Ethernet to fiber optic converter, then another Sonore on the other end ,since I am 10 meters away 

we are talking $2500 just for 2-Sonore Sonore Ethernet to fiber converters ,

plus at minimum IFIAudio wall warts for AC power, if linear then another $1k for 2 $$$ , 7nless I am missing something somewhere , Thanks for the assistance 👍

@high-amp Sorry...VBA is a generic term for any dedicated computer running Linux with Vortexbox server software. Before the Sonic Orbiter and Sonic Transporter products, Small Green Computer sold Vortexbox appliances, pretty cheaply, I might add. My first music server, in 2011, was a SGC VBA, for under a grand. My satisfaction with this server and with SGC were important factors in my decision to upgrade to the Sonic Transporter i5. The support from SGC is excellent.

Streaming was a mystery for me for years.  Called Andrew Gillis from SGC one day and got the full I5 bundle with optical rendu and I had the equipment in 2 days.  He set me up remotely and that 2nd night I was streaming Tidal Masters through Roon.  Never looked back.