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Will computer to DAC replace transports and cdp's?

From my limited reading it seems that a cd burned to a hard drive will be a bit for bit copy because of the software programs used to rip music files. A transport has to get it right the first time and feed the info to a dac. Wavelength audio has some interesting articles about computer based systems and have made a strong statement that a transport will never be able to compete with a hard drive>dac combo.

Anybody care to share their thoughts?
kublakhan
evita
112 posts
 
I wish you the best of luck Alex. I'm a humanitarian at heart and from what I understand you'll need it.
Very classy.
aplhifi
515 posts
 
Ecka, this is interesting. The CDSD is feeding DSD to the DAC and in the case with your computer card the PCM also gets converted to DSD when it hits the DAC. Since I have an idea what is going on in the CDSD, it is possible that your computer would sound almost the same.

Regards,
Alex
redkiwi
1,092 posts
 
Aplhifi, your beliefs don't gel with my experience. Sure, computer to DAC sound can sound poor, just as CDP's can. But equally I have been able to get computer stored audio to match or better good transports from Meridian, Teac, Audiolab and Theta. I am not saying that these are the best there is, but nor are they poor.

Far from being classy I thought that put-down was rude and somewhat childish. But perhaps I should put that down to cultural differences.

So that I can have more respect for you beliefs, can you explain the experiences you have had with computer to DAC sound that have led to those beliefs?
artizen65's avatar
artizen65
273 posts
 
Before this thread goes to the dogs. I would like to thank everyone that has posted, it has been very informative. I choose the Roku SoundBridge over the SB for one reason only. I am feeding SPDIF out to a DAC using iTunes. The Roku integrates flawlessly with the iTunes library using .WAV files. The only issue is you have to choose your music from the Roku interface using the remote provided. Now you are susposed to be able to control the Roku from a web interface some times I can see the interface under my network connections and some times I can't. :(

So here is the current setup computer, ethernet cable to Roku, SPDIF out of the Roku to a Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista DAC. This equals sonic bliss. I honestly can't tell the difference in this setup and using my Theta Digital Data Basic II transport.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Alex P. wrote:
"The answer is NO, if superior audio quality is desired of course. Otherwise we might as well get I-PODs."

I cannot understand this statement. The fact is that computer-driven audio is intrinsically superior to reading of optical disks. The only way CD's can compete is if they are read into a FIFO buffer and then read out with a precision clock, which is essentially just equivalent to computer-driven anyway. I wrote this white paper on the subject for Positive-feedback:
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue22/nugent.htm

Even my own best modded transports playing rewritten low-jitter CD-R disks (similar to Reality Check) are no match for well-designed computer driven audio. The jitter can be extremely low using the computer, particularly with I2S interface or with the right clock topology. It is superior audio quality and it is available today, not in the future...

Steve N.
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