TOPIC:

I use Audirvana Studio on a win10 PC and have the following connection capabilities to my MiniDSP SHD:

USB
Wired Network 
TOSLINK SPDIF
RCA SPDIF

Is one better than the other?

Thanks

I can't tell any difference between the digital inputs.  I use USB for my Win10 PC, RCA SPDIF for my Sonos Connect, TOSLINK SPDIF for my CD transport, and LAN for the Volumio streamer.

@  JimSawbuck USB audio will be the easiest and just allow you to stay all digital (no conversion). 
For that reason, it's the best way to go.

DevTeam
 

devteam wrote:

@  JimSawbuck USB audio will be the easiest and just allow you to stay all digital (no conversion). 
For that reason, it's the best way to go.

DevTeam

But spdif is also digital, as network. It seem that the question was to compare the many digital inputs. What’s the better?
 

devteam wrote:

@  JimSawbuck USB audio will be the easiest and just allow you to stay all digital (no conversion). 
For that reason, it's the best way to go.

DevTeam

But spdif is also digital, as network. It seem that the question was to compare the many digital inputs. What’s the better?
 

I will make a Broad Generalization Here:

First your SHD can only process what it is sent, what that means is whatever source you have ( in my case Audirvana Studio  16/44 Flac files) is a major factor in what you hear., When I send a song ( digital file ) to the SHD, the SHD is acting as a DAC (Digital Audio Convertor ) at that point. . Remember, every Brand of DAC can have its own sound as their circuits  and the components within those circuits all impact the sound. 

Second, Generally USB is considered a first choice as it can pass thru higher bit rate files  than other digital connections. This may or may not affect what you hear depending on all the components in your system from the digital music files thru to your speakers.

here is my best effort to explain how your digital files become music you hereMusic files are created with a quality software ( in my case Exact Audio Copy @ 16/44 Flac ) this does matter as these files are your source files - There are many different and good pieces of  softwares that can copy your CD's and this is your best source for your music files

Music files are on a hard disk in a computer, or USB drive or NAS drive it does not matter

Using  Audirvana  software ( others could be inserted here also ) on PC or Mac (even Volumio in the SHD)Step 1  Audirvana  sees the music file and reads the digital file
Step 2  Audirvana  software converts the file into a digital stream 
Step 3  Audirvana  sees my USB DAC and sends the digital stream to the DAC  in my case the SHD
Step 4 The DAC senses the digital DSD stream and converts that digital stream into an analog signal
Step 5 the DAC then sends the analog signal out via the SHD built in pre-amp  
Step 6 The the SHD pre-amp then sends that signal out thru its XLR or RCA connections which connect to your  amp which amplifies the analog signal to the speakers and we here music.
Hope this helps, there is a lot more that goes on but this is the basics