Are most DAC's compatible w computers?

Hi guys -

I agree this is the future - I keep flogging the USB DAC idea - powered by iTunes and 6 billion downloads a year versus a declining CD market it seems a no brainer at many market levels...

I too have had excellent results with the Waveterminal - so clean and simple and no power supply. Sorry about the misquote on the Rankin products, I guess you would have to consider him a possible USB DAC - not too much else out there that I am aware of but you should check out
http://www.empiricalaudio.com

The gentlemen is a former Intel engineer and a big time modder who is one of the first people I ever corresponded with about the USB direct issue

Great thread - kudos to all

This is the thread for which I've been looking. GREAT info. I've decided that hard drive to DAC to stereo is the wave of the future and it's here now.

The key is to have a soundcard that has ASIO driver.
That will allow the music data to bypass the whole windows directsound architecture. You will essentially get a bit perfect stream of your data file. (a good rip is obviously the key to have a good data file)

OR

use a USB DAC, like the Apogee MiniDAC.

Either way you will get very good results. (in fact perfect) if your sound card does not have ASIO drivers however, the quality cannot be guranteed.

What about the Xitel HiFi-Pro Link? Rave reviews and it seems to offer the same USB capability plus all the necessary cables. Just the cost of the cables might be worth the $99 price.

Is there a paticular version of Waveterminal that I should look for or just their latest?