Solo streamer

“  I believe the USB is very slightly more appealing, so I use it.”
@rvpiano 

Glad to hear, you’re enjoying N200. Keep in mind, N200 is designed and optimized to take advantage of USB implementation in a DAC of your choice. I know you love your current DAC, my recommendation would be to try another DAC down the road to see if you can push the performance another notch or two, I am speaking this my personal experience, I went from EMM Labs DA2 to Merging and there was no contest, the Merging was on another stratosphere using the same source (N20). Merging DAC allowed me to appreciate Aurender N20 at much deeper level, it was like lifting a veil.
Cheers! 

@lalitk

What model Merging DAC do you use, and/or recommend?

@rvpiano 

I own Merging +player (Roon player + DAC) along with +power and +clock. Both +power and +clock are optional module and further enhances the performance of DAC by itself. Earlier this year, Merging bow out of consumer electronics and focusing on Pro Studio gear. Their consumer gear are now under Master Fidelity, 

https://www.master-fidelity.com

I'm a month late to the party here but to:     

jazzman7 and @monowatcher,

Clock source can depend on the DAC.  Maybe not normal synchronous I2s protocol but according to my Owners Manual for Pointus II, "incoming signals are all stored, buffered, and re-clocked using the DAC internal clock".  

     So without a streamer, using USB from a MB Pro M3, streamed RadioParadise or ripped CDs, sound is very good (would probably be better with a DDC), but noticeably better is I2s directly from an OPPO 83 to the Pontus, whether 16/44.1, 24/196, or SACD.

@old_ears

Whatever the digital connection, synchronous or asynchronous, both the source’s clock and the DAC’s clock will both be in play. There will be a handshake between the two of them. It’s just a matter of which clock will be the controlling or “boss” clock for the interaction.

With synchronous connection, such as via I2S, AES, or Digital Coax, the source clock will be the boss clock.

With asynchronous connection via USB, the DAC clock will be boss.

But either way, both clocks will be in play.