Restock's experiment is inconclusive. When you have multiple variables in an experiment it is impossible to determine which causes the effect. The conclusion that USB is better than toslink ignores the fact the transporter may be introducing large amounts of jitter. This may be the cause of the inferior sound and may have nothing to do with toslink. A better comparison would be
1. Mac Mini feeding Benchmark DAC1 via USB
2. Mac Mini feeding Benchmark DAC1 via toslink
even though this isn't conclusive either since despite what Benchmark says the DAC may indeed work better with USB. This isn't saying USB beats toslink every time, only that the Benchmark may be better with USB.
All I can say is that in my system ....XP computer - wireless - Airport Express - toslink - Altmann DAC the sound is fabulous, jaw dropping, stunning, ..(insert your own adjective here)
1. Mac Mini feeding Benchmark DAC1 via USB
2. Mac Mini feeding Benchmark DAC1 via toslink
even though this isn't conclusive either since despite what Benchmark says the DAC may indeed work better with USB. This isn't saying USB beats toslink every time, only that the Benchmark may be better with USB.
All I can say is that in my system ....XP computer - wireless - Airport Express - toslink - Altmann DAC the sound is fabulous, jaw dropping, stunning, ..(insert your own adjective here)