Why would I want a streamer/network player...?

[Thomas]

@nbpf

ensitive to the quality of its SPDIF input

The nDAC is a wonderful DAC, especially when coupled with a power supply.

But yes, it is indeed sensitive to its S/PDIF input.

The Audiophilleo 1 MkII with its little power supply (PurePower) is a brilliant companion for the nDAC.

It allows a large choice of Roon end points.

With the Audiophilleo isolating and reclocking the streamed signal (which is the the tricky part) the Roon endpoint doesn’t really matter anymore. An old iPhone, a DigiOne or even a Sonore UltraRendu will sound exactly the same.

[nbpf]

@StephenPacker: an aside: I have tested the dedicated GenTooPlayer distribution for the RPi 3B+ / DigiOne Signature transport.

It is a very well designed, lean and flexible system. With only mpd and upmpdcli enabled, it sounds perhaps a little bit more detailed than my dedicated, minimal Raspbian system. It can be configured as a Roon endpoint.

[Simon-in-Suffolk]

@nbpf

One problem of comparing nDAC combinations with more modern alternatives is that the nDAC (and the NDS) is relatively sensitive to the quality of its SPDIF input.

I find all DACs old and new are sensitive to the quality of the connected digital transport in terms of digital clock frequency noise. (Clocking sidebands), certainly the NDAC and NDS were no more sensitive to this when I owned/possessed them.
The NDS was more sensitive to Ethernet related activity and consequential noise coupling than its later Naim cousins however.

[nbpf]

@Simon-in-Suffolk

@nbpf

One problem of comparing nDAC combinations with more modern alternatives is that the nDAC (and the NDS) is relatively sensitive to the quality of its SPDIF input.

I find all DACs old and new are sensitive to the quality of the connected digital transport in terms of digital clock frequency noise. (Clocking sidebands), certainly the NDAC and NDS were no more sensitive to this when I owned/possessed them.
The NDS was more sensitive to Ethernet related activity and consequential noise coupling than its later Naim cousins however.

True but many modern DACs have Ethernet and USB inputs in addition to SPDIF inputs. The nDAC has only SPDIF inputs (although many of them!) and, in spite of my bad hearing, I can hear a difference when I switch between the DigiOne Signature input and the Oppo 203 input. The DigiOne Signature input is much cleaner and more enjoyable, in my view. There is also a difference between replay via SPDIF input and replay via USB stick but this is more subtle.