• sfdx force:mdapi:retrieve
• sfdx force:source:convert

Ideally, if do a (1) mdapi:retrieve, then a (2) mdapi:convert, and then a (3) source:convert, the outputs of the first and third commands should be exactly the same.  However, I am seeing that the XML file outputs are different.  Mdapi:retrieve outputs "'", while source:convert outputs "'".  Mdapi:retrieve sometimes outputs a extra newline at the end of a file that source:convert does not.  And they sometimes output XML nodes in a different order from each other.

I have resolved this problem through code.  I'm wondering if anybody else has experienced this difference and what you are doing about it.