Just a heads up to the three other people on the planet using an Ultra DAC with an 861 and UHD722.

I was using a £20 HDMI Audio extractor to get stereo PCM and SACD over PCM directly into the Ultra from an Oppo 205 via coax. The results were good and I thought on a par with the signal sent from Oppo to UHD722 to 861 then to the Ultra via SpeakerLink!

I have pondered buying the Geerfab D.BOB to get DSD directly into the Ultra from the Oppo but at around £1,200 in the UK I was not sure the investment would pay off in sound quality.

I pondered if the MMHR output and SmartLink outputs from the UHD722 were both active at the same time so I have connected the SmartLink L/R out to a coax input on the Ultra. All the Ultra inputs decode MHR and there is a definite step up in clarity with the Oppo to UHD722 to Ultra signal path, even the dull SHM SACD of Aja has brightened up!

Has anyone else got any tips for this combination of equipment?

861v8, 3 x Ultra Dac, 800 v4, UHD722, 5 x B&W 802d’s, Linn LP12 Akurate, Linn Uphorik, McIntosh MC205, 2x Oppo 205,Roon Nucleus+. All Nordost Heimdall 2 and Valhalla 2 cabled.