Could I make use of a DAC with my setup?

Well, it is complicated. :-) My PC is next to a wall, while the audio rig and speakers are well out into a somewhat large room (20x25).  In the morning, I listen to my $20 desktop speakers while at the computer.  I don't power on the rig until later in the day. 

Anyway, when I would "tell" my 10-yr.-old Win10 PC that I now wanted to listen not to my desktop speakers, but to my USB connected setup, the PC had trouble making the switch-over elegantly and often (not always) sent static over the USB connection to the P5.  I grew tired of trying to troubleshoot this. 

I was told that the 3.5mm connection is high fidelity (like the USB), and this has worked out well.  The P5 has an 'AUX in' on the front panel.

The only problem is one of convenience.  I have to manually switch out the 3.5mm cable from the P5 to the 3.5mm cable of the desktop speakers when I want to transition.

My goal is to buy a laptop, integrate into my setup, and stream from the laptop.  I'm still in transition, held up not so much by lack of funds as a lack of knowledge about how to proceed; hence, the DAC question above.

Ah OK , I never tried the usb on my integrated amp I just stream through it's lan port. Thought it would have been easier to use the usb but I understand about trying to get old computers to play nice. 

Nice that your integrated amp has a lan port.

forsooth

The way you are currently connected, 3.5mm cable from PC to Parasound, is an analog connection, so the DAC being used is the one in the PC. You might try USB from the PC to the Parasound which will use the Parasound DAC, but I see absolutely no reason for an external DAC while using Spotify Premium. It's just a small step up in quality over free Spotify.

What?  8{

I did not know that!!  I thought it was using the P5 DAC throught the P5 AUX in.  Dang!  

Yeah, I know that Spotify Premium is not something to write home about, but I thought at least....at least I was taking advantage of the very best electronics that I had in my possession, but with the AUX being analog, I'm using about the cheapest DAC ever made.

Well, thank you for telling me.  And, yes, I am waiting for Qobuz hopefully in late October, which I will sign up for as soon as it is available.