Is computer audio a bust?

Alex, this mirrors what my audio acquaintances (one of whom was using a top of the line Offramp) have discovered. What are the reasons for this?

Agear, In my experience, the biggest enemy of computer audio is the multiple switching power supplies used inside.

In my opinion, any audio equipment using switching power lacks the naturalness, refinement and richness of pure analog in comparison. The two most pronounced artifacts of gear using swathing power is the reduced low octave bass and also strained/metallic/glared upper mids and highs (high piano notes hurt my ears).

As mentioned on these threads earlier, we designed and build a computer that runs on all-linear power (with external linear power supply) that sounds very close to my digital transport. Yesterday I installed a linear power on my USB to PCIe card that made another change in the right direction. Next will be to run the memory on linear power as well, leaving just the processor core on switching.

Such computer is indeed very very good sounding with a hair-splitting difference compared to my DTR. However, we are talking about something quite expensive, so why not just spin your favorite discs. :-)

Best wishes,
Alex Peychev
APL Hi-Fi

I bemoan the unintended consequences of digital technology--from the idling of workers, to looking at a screen instead of being in the physical world. There is also something elegant and beautiful about analog solutions, be they fascinating tonearms, exotic cables, are engineering monuments for spinning a CD.

That said, a quality USB cable can do a phenomenal job of delivering a digital stream from a computer to a DAC, where the final quality and subjective preference is determined by the chosen DAC.

Very interesting Nonoise. It is limited to Redbook, but that's 99% of most music libraries. I have other industry friends who argue the problem is not source material but hardware. Redbook done right is more than good enough. DSD and hi rez are not a necessary parachute in their minds. Just better transports. That is honestly the logic behind this thread.

07-19-14: Mapman
I'll be steering clear of proprietary hardware and software as much as possible moving forward, especially any computer hardware from one off companies.

This stuff is still changing to rapidly. I think Android makes a versatile platform for companies to build high quality digital A/V applications on.

A standardized digital output that can feed a high quality DAC of ones choice is all that is really needed.

I agree with most of that except the last sentence. I would like that to be true in theory, but modding your Bestbuy grade streamer can make dramatic improvements. Depends on your goals and level of audio OCDness....

07-18-14: Mapman
PLEX media server and player appliations is a very good place for anyone to start with that is looking for good sounding computer audio without a major investment in a lot of proprietary hardware, like SOnos, BlueSound, or Squeezebox in the past.

I agree. That was the platform I started with in 2006. The paradox is (for me) computer audio is best with no computer. You need a disembodied, streaming entity (that is ideally designed with audio in mind).

As stated earlier in the thread, spinning plastic is plain silly after you experience the joy of music navigation provided by "computer audio." You are baptized into a much larger world of music (at least I have). That being said, WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE STILL RETURNING TO CDPs? We have had several responders who have posted as much (and have been ignored).

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT VARIABLES FOR SQ IN COMPUTER AUDIO?