Is computer audio a bust?

Not a bust for me. After starting out skeptical and not hearing the benefit, I've
recently been very pleased with excellent sound quality and great listening
sessions with CDs imported to iTunes and played back via Seagate External HD
>>USB 3>>MacBook Air running BitPerfect>>Kimber USB 2>>V-Link 192>>DH
Labs Coax>>Schiit Gungnir DAC>>Stager Silver Solid IC>>Amp). I attribute the
recent improvement mainly to the Gungnir DAC (+ coax & power cable) finally
burning in. CDPs are Upgrade Company mod'd. Denon 2910 and TEAC CD3000.
Don't know your frame of reference. They might not be "high end"
enough for credibility with you but computer audio is working for me.

No promise. Running two server systems, both with full, multichannel DSD/DXD capabilities and files. The convenience is a given but the sound quality amazes.

Wired Ethernet network has had the most impact on sonics by far of any other computer-based configurations.

I'm with ghost house - sound is excellent once you get the kinks worked
out - which is no different from any other source.
- It took me much longer to get my turntable to a point I was happy.

iMac - dh labs USB - schiit Bifrost DAC - Essence gZero6 IC - Naim amp

I use iTunes for library control with Audirvana to bypass crappy apple
software and Retune to control iTunes from my Droid tablet

Plays every sample rate up to and including 24/192

I've found that the superior sound engineering on many high sample rate
tracks provides for a much better quality recording without the premium
price that some "quality" CD's cost $$$- you gotta like that :-)

Go back to a CD player ? - Not for this puppy :-)

Regards

Nice thread Agear. For several years, teased by both the convenience and promise of high resolution, I planned to put together a computer based system. I didn't ever get around to it because of the rather high rate of bail out, apparently due to people not realizing the expected level of performance. For me, the Sony HAPZ1 came along at the right time. While there is still a learning curve associated with the HAPZ1, it is not all that daunting, and one is assured of a pretty good sounding piece of gear from the word go.

For me, the superiority of this piece both sonically and also from the standpoint of handling my extensive music collection has almost rendered my CD player irrelevant.

With a ModWright modification of the HAPZ1, one has about 4.5K invested. It may well be possible to achieve a similar level of performance for less with a traditional computer based system, but it would seem that for the average person, there is going to be some time invested in the trial and error associated with getting the most out of such a system.

I suspect that for most people, an approach like the HAPZ1 may be a better approach.