Ways to improve DAC performance???

Doesn't matter? Seriously? That's the whole issue.

Heard your rig at a show - didn't impress me. I find USB just poor. Even yours. Makes no matter. And soon the hoax is over. Like I said, all these guys spending thousands on USB converters when USB will be phased out within a few years.

Cerrot - you still don't get it. The data is reclocked, so it does not matter.

I don't know what show you heard my gear in but it must have been 5 years ago or more and not representative of my current products. The last 3 or 4 shows I have gotten best of shows:

2010:
http://www.avguide.com/blog/tas-rmaf-steven-stone-digital-and-new-technologies?page=2

2011:
http://www.avguide.com/blog/rmaf-2011-report-digital?page=2

2012:
http://www.stereophile.com/content/empirical-audio

2013:
http://www.stereophile.com/content/another-opening-another-show

There is no hoax. USB done right is simply better, as is networked audio. I would have never gotten the awards and best of shows if this was not the case. This is not a single recognition, it is a series of them from different reviewers over a long period of time.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

USB done right is simply better than what? A packeted signal via USB (which mother boards do a horrible job of implementing, by the way)which needs to go trough a usb to spdif converter (okay, reclocked!) that THEN goes into a DAC is simply better than a good sound card right into a dac?

What are you smoking???

-if you are actually serious about trying to get USB, why not recommend a USB PCI card, which is much, much better (and still not as good as a soundcard).

We will agree to disagree.

Hello I did a lot of experimenting ,using DB Poweramp
To rip accurate Wav, and or flac files to a 2-T powered external hard drive
Is the cleanest way to go. From there a good player .i had Bryston
Glitches every week or so one file would lockup unit.that has been mostly fixedI am told.
I bought the Auralitti with Linear power supply , and by far the best fuse
That truly make a difference from Audio horizons ,for less then 1/2 the Bryston I bought Auralittipk-90, a Mpad app for IPad I play my whole library
From my chair sounds better then ever ,no noisy computer switching supplies,fans.one thing usb cable from HD to player,then to dac need to be good I use Wireworld a Platinum, or Silver starlight excellent detail.your dac will determine sonic signature ,then amp.

>>This is like buying the $2K turntable and $100 cartridge. Not great. You are better off to buy the $500 turntable and put a $2K cartridge on it.<<

Actually that's incorrect. A $2000 table with a better arm and $100 cartridge will smoke a $500 with inferior arm and expensive cartridge all day long.

Those of us with 50+ years of analog experience know this.