A bit of FWIW from me. I first doubted the possibility of being successful using a computer setup with an external DAC, in as much as I am not especially gifted for all things technical. I left most of the work to a person that understood the concepts and practices of such an arrangement, and in short, when set up properly, it freaks me out that it is possible for the computer setup to sonically outweigh CD alone as much as it does.