I was wondering about products more like the Denafrips Gaia rather than cheaper ones. In this case the DDC would simply be a reclocker/isolator but knowing that the nDAC is sensitive to its input, would there be an improvement?
Has anybody tried this?
I’m using an audiophilleo with my Innuos Pulse
Innuos > USB > Audiphilleo >> BNC to BNC cable >> NDX/XPS2
IMHO the difference between using an RCA > BNC cable from the Pulse to NDX and the audiophilleo is a fair improvement.
Which Audiophileo do you have? One or two, and is the purepower needed?
I have used a M2Tech Hiface (BNC out) with an Innuos Zen, it was OK and not perfect until the cat broke it. So I am interested in how to replace the HiFace as it is no longer available new in the UK.
Audiophilleo 2 mk2. I’m not using the PurePower as the Innuos is supplied from a TP linear PSU
I may still have an old HiFace2 RCA I don’t use anymore.
That’s a good point about the linear power supply in the Innuos units. I used a Chord Qutest after the HiFace broke and powered the DAC from my Innuos Zen. It was better sounding that way but the Zen got very hot so I desisted. I sold the Qutest to part fund a 333/332 replacement of my 272.
I found the Chord benefited from a Chord Co USB cable, do you recommend an audiophile/boutique USB cable for the Audiophileo?
Nope, I just use a Supra USB cable, I like Supra as it’s well made and a nice colour 
don’t believe in ‘audiophile’ cables and Supra is about as boutique as I’m willing to spend.
Even with a LPSU the Innuos will still generate noise on the USB as it’s still just a PC at the end of the day with internal voltage regulators plus the RAM and CPU generating noise. Whether that noise makes any difference I don’t know as adding the LPSU made no difference to the sound (I got the teddy LPSU cheap so it was worth a shot)
I’ve also got a Sonore Rendu network > USB that I tried into the audiophilleo and couldn’t hear any difference to the Innuos.
I am inclined to agree with you about boutique cables, my top spend on cables is at the Chord Clearway level. I prefer to listen to music than the difference in ethernet cables.
The nDAC does like a nice clean signal.
We’re using NDX2 as transport which is excellent. However, for a year we used other sources (RPI, iPad, laptop) over USB into an SMSL PO 100 Pro [S/PDIF to nDAC] whilst naim sorted out Tidal HiRes.
I’ve commented before on other threads about how close an iPad/DDC into nDAC gets to an NDX2 transport as source. Later firmwares might have changed this.
Have never tried NDX2/DDC/nDAC as we’d have to buy another DDC with S/PDIF input.
Thanks for this. I do kind of know you can get close with the nDac but not sure if you can get better. I’ll have to spend money to find out….
Another option may be a Mutec MC-3+ which is optimised to clean up a SPDIF input, and may be worth a try. My longer term plan may be to go for a Denafrips - Hermes and then potentially change to nDAC to a Holo Audio May, with the DDC in the chain.
Cheers
If you’re going to change the DAC that could change the whole sound signature of your system.
We’ve auditioned a number of DACs and whilst they all sound different, each has their strengths.
There are forum members who have the Holo Audio May KTE DAC.
An AudioQuest Jitterbug FMJ could help with noise, worth a shot.