I kind of bet the Phoenix is better! not to be had at the moment AFAIK?
Given the SOTM is to me no difference from the Matrix if not better, still in one box and all USB I just prefer it. No need to go buy a HDMI cable now. Truth be told, I do try to save some money too!
I think USB is fine if you “treat it right”. Garbage in, garbage out. I2S is much more forgiving, that is what many are noticing here. Not that it is inherently better I would gather. Perhaps AES3 is, I am not sure on that either. I too prefer USB. If for nothing else, my investment in cables. Which does in fact have 3 zeros after it.
No, I I do not assume this Personae. If they can by law, Paul can vouch for at least all PS Audio gear I own/have owned. Caliber of equipment I have traded. There may be liability but look I am putting it out there. Would I go do that then In PS Audio alone I have spent well into six figures. My real login credentials are right here for Paul to see if he cares to state if I am “legit”. Just, please Paul do not provide my contact INFO 
I am indeed truly very humble, help the next person in an instant.
I agree it helps others to hear about cutting edge HI-FI for the “trickle down”. For whatever that is worth, but it most often does. Companies always incorporate in their lower gear some king of high end “feature” found on their flagship gear. Here, I am the one that can often really compare it for you! Not to be a jerk, but because of my “status” in this hobby I have access to “demo’s” many others do not.
One thing, I do not lie what I have. Even insinuating that on this particular “industry” forum tends to upset me. This is not just a regular public forum. It is owned by a particular hardware vender. Therefore I believe we all have standards to ‘uphold’ here which I, myself most certainly do. I for one never, said I had or had heard a piece of equipment, cable what have you that I actually did not. I just wanted to get that out of the way. Agreed, there will always be jealousy but I see it the same way I in effect am actually helping others through certain knowledge. (sometimes, granted lack there of )
Truthfully, the large system did require that power cable. There was no way around it but another builder might have hit me with 1/25TH. that price. Or at least I should have asked the price up front. That is truthfully my only one big ‘regret’ so far in this hobby. I have nothing to compare it to, it works fine. It just does not seem appropriately priced to me, but I am not really even sure about that. FYI, this was from several other postings about a “custom made mains battery grid lead” In case someone was not up to speed on what I was speaking of. It is all 2-4-OT-AWG conductors, each extruded cross section being that nearly 1/50th of a solid silver bus bar! and cost me more than a lot of folks dwellings. That is when I say sometimes jokingly more money than brains.Although, hey maybe I have no clue what it is actually doing sound wise for the system!
Well, after all of that there is no doubt that in the future further improvements shall be realized upon USB. At which point I shall obtain them. Starting with The Phoenix, although it may be pretty similar to the SOTM. If you clean it too much as I just recently had with a chain of boxes the sound becomes much less inviting IMO. Clinical, fatiguing , sterile, harsh, generally “too clean”. I find the SOTM at the point where just ‘musicality’ is left and no noise floor or back ground other than infinite blacks. If the Phoenix goes any ‘further’ that will most likely prove to be a big detriment’ Except perhaps with some headphone setups. Certainly not any well rounded full scale loudspeaker systems.
If it is neither is better, then is it worth 75% more cash? Even though it has dual mono PSU’s they are right next to the clock too! Plus, I am still not convinced the Phoenix has a better clock. There is more to it than just what oscillator they use. Furthermore, truth be told an AQ Jitterbug is as good of an oscillator as is needed for this task! Companies like throw around big words and numbers to impress. It would behoove everyone in this hobby to learn what ‘jargon’ applies where;. If not to now the ouright meaning of it!
So, my big question, unanswered, Would a G2 which is a fraction of the price of my ‘hot-rodded’ W20SE sending a signal to a DAC wirelessly probably sound much better or worse than my current USB signal chain? I guess I am kind of a real jerk. At the time I thought due to it’s very ‘low’ price the G2 was just a budget box! Now, of course I have learned differently. I am just not clear if wireless is now the absolute best signal chain? I know with something such as that of the G2 it is current cutting edge. Although better than that of a ‘wired’ connection’ yet? I remember just a few years ago this was not ‘even’ in the cards. wireless is great with subwoofers though. we are talking, what one billionth the information or so(that is just a wild guess).
Okay, as usual I apologize for placing such a long post here!
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