# Bridge II vs USB **URL:** \ **Category:** DACs\ **Created:** [June 5, 2019, 12:55pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236 "2019-06-05T12:55:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![entman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/977dab/32.png) [@entman](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/entman)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 12:55pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/1 "2019-06-05T12:55:41Z")
I’m not sure if this thread has been done before. I’m on the fence sort of speak if getting the bridge II. Which method sounds better? ---
**Author:** ![darrenv1070](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/darrenv1070/32/270293_2.png) [@darrenv1070](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/darrenv1070)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 1:06pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/2 "2019-06-05T13:06:07Z")
That really depends on the USB set up. If just straight outta a PC, with nothing else…The Bridge all day long. At least in my system. ---
**Author:** ![entman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/977dab/32.png) [@entman](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/entman)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 1:16pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/3 "2019-06-05T13:16:34Z")
I am using a Mac mini as a Roon Core with wireworld silver usb cable , it sounds good. My main interest in the bridge would be for the final unfold of MQA . What is has me on the fence is sound quality. I have read about click and popping soundswith the bridge when a red book song is followed by DSD or other high resolution pcm files. I have read on this forum that the bridge gives a limited unfold? ---
**Author:** ![Standahm1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/standahm1/32/2658_2.png) [@Standahm1](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Standahm1)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 1:30pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/4 "2019-06-05T13:30:03Z")
The Bridge II unfolds up to 192/32 according to [https://www.psaudio.com/perfectwave-bridge/](https://www.psaudio.com/perfectwave-bridge/). It’s easy to see in the Android app (MConnect) from Converse digital - bits, kHz and kilobits per second (for example shown here: ![](https://aws1.discourse-cdn.com/standard10/uploads/auralic/optimized/1X/52fcc67575d6de3c51a734c271fca789fac953ab_2_375x500.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![kylemillsap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a88e4f/32.png) [@kylemillsap](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/kylemillsap)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2019, 2:40pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/5 "2019-06-05T14:40:34Z")
My bridge says MQA when playing MQA files, not flac. ---
**Author:** ![scotte1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/scotte1/32/147_2.png) [@scotte1](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/scotte1)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 1:09am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/6 "2019-06-06T01:09:56Z")
> [@entman](#): > > I have read on this forum that the bridge gives a limited unfold? ^This is incorrect. The Bridge II Ethernet card allows for the “full monty” MQA experience. Do some searching within this forum and you will find confirmation. Also, see PSA’s product page: [Bridge II Network Audio Card](https://www.psaudio.com/products/perfectwave-bridge/) Regards. ---
**Author:** ![scotte1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/scotte1/32/147_2.png) [@scotte1](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/scotte1)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 1:11am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/7 "2019-06-06T01:11:20Z")
“Ditto” (here are some useless words so that I don’t run a foul of the 8-character minimum requirements…) ---
**Author:** ![wobblewobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/76d3ee/32.png) [@wobblewobble](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/wobblewobble)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:27am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/8 "2019-06-06T02:27:48Z")
> [@scotte1](#): > > ^This is incorrect. The [Bridge II](https://www.psaudio.com/products/perfectwave-bridge/) Ethernet card allows for the “full monty” [MQA](http://www.mqa.co.uk/) experience. There are PCM353kHz MQA albums on Tidal (like MAGNIFICAT). Bridge II is limited to PCM192kHz… do you get this MQA ‘rendering’ up to PCM353kHz? ---
**Author:** ![Elk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/elk/32/1240_2.png) [@Elk](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Elk)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:41am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/9 "2019-06-06T02:41:47Z")
“Mine, too” would have done the job. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![scotte1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/scotte1/32/147_2.png) [@scotte1](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/scotte1)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:44am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/10 "2019-06-06T02:44:15Z")
Sorry if I was not clear…I was simply noting that the Bridge does the full MQA “unfolding”. I am not claiming that the kit exceeds its specifications, which “tops out” at 192kHz as you noted. ---
**Author:** ![scotte1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/scotte1/32/147_2.png) [@scotte1](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/scotte1)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:47am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/11 "2019-06-06T02:47:27Z")
Sure…But that is beside the point is it not? The point being that I cannot express myself as I preferred with my pithy response of “Ditto”. Not a big deal – just having some fun at the expense of this fixed forum operating parameter. I find it to be a bit of a nuisance. But, I don’t get to set the rules. All in good fun… ---
**Author:** ![Elk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/elk/32/1240_2.png) [@Elk](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Elk)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:48am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/12 "2019-06-06T02:48:50Z")
You apparently missed the 🙂 On other forums posters simply write 10 char or the like to fulfill the requirement of a minimum number of characters. ---
**Author:** ![scotte1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/scotte1/32/147_2.png) [@scotte1](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/scotte1)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:51am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/13 "2019-06-06T02:51:37Z")
Guess so…maybe a 😉 and I would have received what you were broadcasting…Ha! Regards. ---
**Author:** ![Elk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/elk/32/1240_2.png) [@Elk](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Elk)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:53am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/14 "2019-06-06T02:53:36Z")
This is getting complicated . . . ---
**Author:** ![scotte1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/scotte1/32/147_2.png) [@scotte1](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/scotte1)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:55am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/15 "2019-06-06T02:55:17Z")
🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wobblewobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/76d3ee/32.png) [@wobblewobble](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/wobblewobble)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:58am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/16 "2019-06-06T02:58:15Z")
> [@scotte1](#): > > I was simply noting that the [Bridge](https://www.psaudio.com/products/perfectwave-bridge/) does the full [MQA](http://www.mqa.co.uk/) “unfolding”. Everything after 96kHz is what MQA Ltd refers to as ‘rendering’. The Bridge II doesn’t do the full rendering, as per MQA 353kHz example. ---
**Author:** ![scotte1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/scotte1/32/147_2.png) [@scotte1](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/scotte1)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 3:02am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/17 "2019-06-06T03:02:54Z")
Gotcha…understood. My point to the OP was that the Bridge does not do a “limited unfold”. To be more precise (as you noted and if I understand correctly), the Bridge is a decoder and a renderer. Copacetic…? ---
**Author:** ![wobblewobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/76d3ee/32.png) [@wobblewobble](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/wobblewobble)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 3:04am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/18 "2019-06-06T03:04:31Z")
No problem. I was only replying to your comment: **"This is incorrect. The [Bridge II](https://www.psaudio.com/products/perfectwave-bridge/) Ethernet card allows for the “full monty” [MQA](http://www.mqa.co.uk/) experience."** ---
**Author:** ![scotte1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/scotte1/32/147_2.png) [@scotte1](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/scotte1)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 3:05am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/19 "2019-06-06T03:05:29Z")
Understood…thanks. ---
**Author:** ![cardri](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/cardri/32/2201_2.png) [@cardri](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/cardri)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 3:35am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236/20 "2019-06-06T03:35:39Z")
@entman - I used the BII for almost a year and it was great. The BII is capable of single DSD (Max); moreover, I was challenging the notion of better SQ. So, I went Matrix w/ short usb “data only” cable to Matrix w/ Sbooster & Ultra Filter as external Matrix PS and HDMI cable to DSD I2S. Removed the BII and sold it. The result is double DSD capable, MQA capable, and a definite step up in SQ. My initial reason for looking beyond the BII was driven by PSA’s directional change in BIII… Not looking to go Octave in a small footprint or be influenced by that implementation spilling over into the very simple BII. I heard no talk of bettering the BII, just going right to BIII. I might be wrong, that was the sense I got. So, not looking to invest any more calories in that streaming tool. Purchasing a BII locks you into a certain approach with limitations. The Matrix is only bound by the DSD capability. I wanted the DSD to have no restriction and PSA’s philosophical change in direction is incompatible with where I want to go in streaming down the road… PF 2.16, using I2S. There are many ways to skin a cat, this is just one and hope it causes you to contemplate options. So, to answer the mail directly, @darrenv1070 is correct… BII all day long if it is usb direct. If Matrix w/ good external PS… usb to Matrix to I2S all day long. [Next page](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/bridge-ii-vs-usb/11236.md?page=2)