I'm looking to do a major upgrade from my PS Audio DSS to the EMM Labs DA2, but I am concerned it may be two steps forward, one step back in terms of the digital input quality. Over the years I've found that my digital input chain is more crucial than the actual DAC it is plugged into.
I know the DA2 is a much better DAC, and will have a better USB input stage, but I'm concerned about losing the refined sound quality I get from my I2S chain. I'm curious if anybody who has experience with the DA2 or DV2 via USB (or even AES) can chime in about the digital input quality vs the overall DAC value/sound quality.
My current USB->I2S digital source chain is an Innuos Zenith MkIII, iFi iGalvanic 3.0, Innuos Phoenix, and Matrix X-SPIDF2 into the DSS using a mix of Shunyata Sigma and Wireworld Platinum Starlight 7 cables. With this setup I hear no grain, noise, or fuzziness at all, just totally smooth. However, remove the final step of I2S conversion and HMDI cable and things start to sound more grainy and digital, even going from the Phoenix to the DSS USB input.
I know the DA2 is a much better DAC, and will have a better USB input stage, but I'm concerned about losing the refined sound quality I get from my I2S chain. I'm curious if anybody who has experience with the DA2 or DV2 via USB (or even AES) can chime in about the digital input quality vs the overall DAC value/sound quality.
My current USB->I2S digital source chain is an Innuos Zenith MkIII, iFi iGalvanic 3.0, Innuos Phoenix, and Matrix X-SPIDF2 into the DSS using a mix of Shunyata Sigma and Wireworld Platinum Starlight 7 cables. With this setup I hear no grain, noise, or fuzziness at all, just totally smooth. However, remove the final step of I2S conversion and HMDI cable and things start to sound more grainy and digital, even going from the Phoenix to the DSS USB input.