OK, it's a personal truth.
I didn't state that HAT beats USB. In other applications asynchronous USB is excellent. I've experienced it myself with a laptop and an Audiolab 8200CDQ I used to own. Superb.
I said that in my own experience, with my components, it made a huge difference.
it did. It wasn't remotely subtle. Far bigger than replacing the VDac with a cheapie DAC from ebay (£11) that I bought to test the coax output of the HAT... I'd rather listen to that than the VDac/pi through USB. That one surprised me the other way... it's pretty good for a few quid and I'd be worried about blind testing it!
For some reason you have made it your mission to demean my observations despite the fact that you weren't here, and didn't hear it one way or the other. I'm not promoting a belief system here, just reporting an observation. You, on the other hand, seem to have some preconceived idea that I can't possibly know what I'm talking about because my experience doesn't agree with your understanding.
What is a fact is that MF sold a V-Link unit for the V-Dac which took a USB output and converted it into a (I think) coaxial S/PDIF signal. Perhaps they knew there was a problem and came up with a solution. A cynic might say they engineered it badly in the first place to sell v-links. Either way they were openly saying that there was improvement to be had on their USB Implementation.
The VDac 2 I now have has the asynchronous v-link built in. Sometime I'll set up a comparison... you're welcome to come and have a listen. Bring your favourite headphones!
Can you get over yourself? This is not about you.
No body is challenging you in anyway, it’s just that there is no point in discussing something we’re not sure is real.