Recommendation for stereo audio signal path.

[brrgrr]

I’m trying to figure out the better signal path between my 2 current options.

1
Source - Dragonfly Red - Yamaha A-S501 via RCA in - speakers

2
Source - Signstek “Hifi” usb to toslink adapter - A-S501via toslink in - Speakers

Most of the time source will be Spotify premium from a laptop.

Thanks!

 

[VMAT4]

If you own all of the above, what do your ears tell you?
If not, maybe, you might consider the Topping D10. It has RCA analogue out and both optical and coax out. But, it has only USB in.
As a DAC it gets good reviews. Yet, it may be used as an USB to TOSLINK converter. I believe all outputs are live simultaneously. That's been my experience with mine. It is not portable.

 

[brrgrr]

Figuring out what sounds better is what’s getting hairy for me. I’d say preamp’d through the Dragonfly but I’m not sure if I’m tricking myself. I’ve read using a preamp helps in theory but I don’t know how much if at all.
I think I’ve got a great foundation but I’m having trouble topping it off with a hyper cost efficient dac/preamp. That would be why I’ve been trying to compare with the dragonfly which I already had and the inexpensive toslink adapter.
And you may have a good point with paying a bit more for something like a Topping.

 

[M00ndancer]

Unless there is something really wrong with the A-S501 DAC you wont hear any difference. The Signstek only does Digital to optical digital and should not degrade anything. As long as there is no odd resampling or filtering going on, there should only be a measurable difference.