Which is better: Transport+DAC or PC system+DAC

The PC and DAC.

I have been privy to extensive comparisons between the two and PC as source is IMHO, and the opinion of most of those involved in those comparisons as well, the PC is easily better.

A test track we used for that comparison was Dianna Krall - A Case Of You. Via the PC you could hear the foot pedals on the piano and the piano was clearly less distorted. The Transports we used was a Wadia, heavily upgraded Msarantz that was battery powered and used I2S, Stello I2S transport and some other stuff I can't recall.

I also need to point out while this was the view of the majority of people some thought the computer had a digital edge to it. I personally couldn't detect it.

Also check out:
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/state-art-cd-transports-vs-usb-spdif-converter-shootout-15193/

Thanks
Bill

Optimize your PC( software and hardware set-ups).It will make great improvement.Or simply get a C.A.P.S as computeraudiophile[dot]com recommended.

recently switched from the transport-dac camp, and entered the computer audio camp, and will not look back. I had a PS audio perfect wave dac/transport; which was bettered when I switched to the Ayon CD5S; I enjoyed the buffered tube dac/preamp section; and the Philips transport was quite excellent. I totally enjoyed the Ayon until I had an in home demo with the Playback Design 5 dec; using standard inexpensive windows based laptop, and Seagate 4TB hard drives, and standard usb cable; but the Playback design external x-usb converter box into dec. This setup upsamples all digital sources to 2xDSD playback. This for me was the best digital I've heard, and I have a very revealing system. My bass went much deeper; the detail and air on cymbals, flute, strings, and female voices was exquisite; the sound stage was the best I've experienced in my rig. I would rip a rebook CD; and play via usb into Playback design, and it was an amazing and positive listening experience. The price of the PD DAC 5 is not inexpensive; but less than some of the contenders posted above; and the computer side of this, with all back up hard drives; and powered usb switches, and JRiver software was around $800 extra..I have all my library now on hard drives. I have no digital glare, or listening fatigue . Now; when I listen to DSD download files; its even a more amazing experience. If you are only using computer audio at 24/192; and don't have the ability to upsample to DSD I feel you are missing out. There are a handful of other dacs that process DSD; and more are coming...so I'm not saying that Playback Design is the best at this; I would assume the EMM/Meitner products, Chord, MSB analog, and Briscasti will also be able to handle DSD upconversion via usb.

If you are asking this question; be sure your dac can support DSD files and upconversion; I think you will be presently surprised by the sonic improvement; and the cost of admission is less than a full Dcs stack, or high end MSB unit. I don't miss my transport; simply rip; and enjoy DSD playback. The PD unit was easy to set up; no choices of different filters, or external clocks; and the burn in time was easy also; around 200 hours.
Good luck with your search, you have a great system; trying to get the lest level of improvement is important, and sometimes a challenge.

I just switched to computer based audio and it trumps cd/transport digital for sure. I was one of those huge doubters.

+1 Grannyring. But I wouldn't dare speak to the level of your current digital componentry.

I so enjoy selecting from the server than from a shelf of jewel cases. I find I'm listening to more overlooked selections. But the real killer for me is random song (track) select. My library becomes an outstanding talk free radio station.

My Mac > Metrum Octave clearly out performs my ModWright Absolute Truth moded Denon 5900.

And yet again I will suggest looking into Elberoth experiences and covering Steve Nugent's Empirical Audio's computer audio suggestions.