Auralic Altair as USB streamer for GCD?

Audio Components DACs
1

I’m upgrading my home theater front channels for stereo listening and first purchased an Auralic Altair streaming DAC, and then the PSA S300 amp. I’m now considering purchasing the PSA GCD and want to ensure that the GCD will work with the Altair as a streamer connected via USB.
Does anyone have experience using the Altair as a USB streamer input to the GCD?
Also if you have experience with both DACs, I’m interested in your comparison of sound quality.

Here’s some info from Auralic’s site on Altair compatibility with USB DACs…
"… If your DAC does not require a driver to work under Mac OS X system and it is an USB Audio Class 2 version (support sampling rate above 96Khz), it will most likely be compatible…The USB DAC running on Wavelength USB firmware cannot use USB playback function due to a confirmed bug of Wavelength USB firmware under Linux.
"
Thanks

2

When you use the digital outputs bypassing the internal DAC it just becomes an Aries so yes it will work as planned. My Aries has worked with at least a half a dozen different DAC’s. Unless you want to use it for DSD it will sound better from the AES output to the GCD.

3

Good to hear about the Aries working with different DACs. The Altair only has a USB digital output, no AES out, so no option there.

4

If you’re going digital out maybe you should have waited for the SHD Studio. I have my Blusound in it via Toslink. Never sounded better though the GainCell.
BluOs and Volumio each have complimentary strengths.
I plugged a portable SSD with HiRez and RedBook into each.
This is literally the first time that my Stellar has sounded amazing.
AND I don’t NEED no AppleCrapple to control it.
DSP a bonus.
Grand Ol Opry sounds like we’re back in the 5th row and I’ve never cared for country music before. But when in Music City…