I was digging around the internet for more information about reasons for converting from USB to SPDIF/coax, and I came across this article on John Darko's site titled " When should you use a USB to S/PDIF converter? "
https://darko.audio/2013/07/when-should-you-use-an-external-usb-spdif-converter/What made it relevant to this conversation is that it was written towards the end of 2013 where he states " I’ve said it before: if 2011/12 was the year where the digital audiophile in the street woke up to fixing jitter with better data clocking, 2013/14 will be the year he wakes up to the quality of USB power". The Hegel H80 came out in 2014 so in the window of time where it seems USB quality in DACs is questionable.Couple questions still remain for me specific to the Hegel H80..Is there a low cost DAC sub $400, such as a Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital with MQA, Schiit Bifrost, or SMSL SU-8 balanced DAC, or any other relatively modern low cost DAC, along with a USB to Coax converter provide a higher quality(highly subjective) discernible audio representation on this integrated better than the onboard DAC? I'd love to hear someone with direct experience on this integrated say something like "Even the low end xyz DAC from Company N at $xx.yy is better than H80's onboard DAC - more holographic, better seperation, better dynamic, etc."
https://darko.audio/2013/07/when-should-you-use-an-external-usb-spdif-converter/What made it relevant to this conversation is that it was written towards the end of 2013 where he states " I’ve said it before: if 2011/12 was the year where the digital audiophile in the street woke up to fixing jitter with better data clocking, 2013/14 will be the year he wakes up to the quality of USB power". The Hegel H80 came out in 2014 so in the window of time where it seems USB quality in DACs is questionable.Couple questions still remain for me specific to the Hegel H80..Is there a low cost DAC sub $400, such as a Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital with MQA, Schiit Bifrost, or SMSL SU-8 balanced DAC, or any other relatively modern low cost DAC, along with a USB to Coax converter provide a higher quality(highly subjective) discernible audio representation on this integrated better than the onboard DAC? I'd love to hear someone with direct experience on this integrated say something like "Even the low end xyz DAC from Company N at $xx.yy is better than H80's onboard DAC - more holographic, better seperation, better dynamic, etc."