Should Sound Quality of Computer Audio be improved

O-kay Mezmo, chill out. You have made your point. I was only being sarcastic. I am only going to say that if you
are serious about making Computer Audio the Audio Format to
replace all other Audio Formats- you have to design it for
that purpose. You, and Microsoft, and Apple, and Macintosh,
and ASUS, and every Computer Modifying Audio Manufacturer
out there. We are not just talking about Ripping for a
Music Server, we are talking about Internet Downloading- and you are going to design around these guy's or even rely
on them for the next Audio Format to replace all other
Audio Formats? These guy's who don't seem to give a crap
about your New Audio Format? Isn't it obvious that these guy's are gonna drag your New Format down? These guy's
whose greatest contribution to Computer Audio was lower than CD quality MP3 (Big money maker for them for sure!).
They don't seem to think much about your New Format to replace all others. I am not stopping you- they are! I
sure as hell wouldn't toss out all other Audio Formats
having to rely on these guy's. Why would anyone? I listen
to Computer Audio inspite of these guy's, knowing fully
well that they have painted a target on the back of this
Format. Why help them, or enable them to pull the trigger?
What a strange way to start a New Format, or slowly let it
bleed out. I am only trying to give fair warning to help
save it. Your New Format only threatens the profits of their lower than CD quality MP3 Empire. You wanted competition, guess you have it now! Do you still think that they are your friends? Profit is their only friend,
and you simply aren't profitable for them. Neither is a
High Rez. Downloading Format- watch out for stray bullets!
Now will you help try to defend it against these guy's, go
down standing or go down on your knees begging? I am not much for begging, how about you Sonzu? Heard you were
tougher! Are you really serious enough to make a go of
this New Format? Prove it by dealing with Computer Manufacturer's! If you are anything like the other geeks
on this Forum, I don't think you have the guts to make it
work! Prove me wrong, I would still like to use this Format! Seems to me that we are going to have to earn it-
certainly NOT going to be created in a vacuum.

"so you Download Music Files without Anti-Virus protection? "

Like Timlub, I do not have anti-virus on my player PC. So, I simply download files using a PC that does have virus protection then move the files across my network to the appropriate location. Not really that hard. Of course, most of my music is from my own CDs, so anti-virus software is not an issue. The idea, as Elizabeth and Timlub have said, is to minimize unnecessary software running on the system. It can make a big difference.

WOW! I write a paragraph, Mezmo, and you write three in
response. I am just baffled about the insecurity behind
Computer Audio. You not only believe that the only way to
build this Format up is to tear all other Formats down, you
also have to tear up others using those other Formats. I
would say more power to you if your Format was designed from the ground up for Sound Quality, not piecemeal adlib.
Downloading means that you are going to have to go through an Operating System somewhere. That O.S. can only come from
Microsoft, Apple, Macintosh...etc. You know, the guy's who
would rather you be buying/downloading their lower than CD
resolution MP3. Yeah, these guy's will be determining the
Processing that your Downloaded High Rez. Music Files will be going through in their O.S. They are the main reason we
need Wasapi, ASIO, and Kernel Streaming bandaids. You are
going to design around their Audio Format crippling
software, and create the Audio Format to replace all others? Sounds like a tug of War, you pulling to establish
High Rez. Computer Audio, they pulling in the opposite
direction for more Processing for more Apps- sacrificing
that processing for Music! It is not even close who is going to win here. I will draw you a picture. The only way that High Rez. Audio Downloading becomes an established Format, is if the Computer Manufacturer's decide to allow you to have it- and start designing O.S. in that direction.
They are the 800 Pound Gorillas sitting on the chest of
High Rez. Computer Audio- not me or anyone else! They don't
move, your Format doesn't either...it is that simple. So
you are going to continue to make excuses why these
"Gorillas" shouldn't move expecting your Format to take off? The Bandaids (ASIO's) are to keep the chest from bleeding out, not to bypass the weight of these Gorillas-
as if they could! You are enabling these guy's to...
...hinder your efforts? I don't get it!!! I'm supposed to
support you, or are you demanding that I support them???

Pettyofficer, yes, but since I removed my antivirus, I have only downloaded from HD Tracks, before that, I used a few other sites also. Most my current stuff is just from redbook. I noticed you commented on Windows 8. I'd like any info out there on it. I have it saved to a dual layer DVD ready to load, but am too worried to load it. It wipes out Win 7. When Win 8 comes out, can we updated the developers copy? will we be forced to buy it?

Pettyofficer, I am a little shocked that you feel a computer cannot send a music file perfectly to a DAC. Its a tiny insignificant task in the scheme of things. Surely the DAC has been specifically designed to convert audio? A computer has been specifically designed to calculate & deal with data.

What are we taking here? Sending a file that's approx 750MB (if its a full CD) or possibly more if a high res file to a DAC. Come on. I doubt you could even find a computer that doesn't have at least 2GB ram today let alone unable to send that perfect data to another piece of hardware.I.e a DAC.

You don't seem to grasp that the "file" is totally designed for music & you can choose the type of file (I.e Wav/aiff/flac etc) & the quality of it. It is the file format used to record the music in the recording studio.

It is easy to point at MP3s. obviously these are not for an audiophile system. So forget the MP3 compression compromise in this context.

I feel I need to say for about the 5th time to you that you just have to choose & set up your system. Just like any other part of your Hifi.

If you choose a PC it means you need to turn that software off & install this playback software which will send to the DAC via USB or Firewire etc. For a Mac you run this software etc using FireWire or bolt or USB to your excellent & beautifully designed DAC.

Most of the S.Q issues will be further down the chain after that. The biggest issue will be the recording itself. It's irrelevant if it's 44.1 or 96 etc. if its a lame recording it will be at any resolution.

So switch on your computer & choose the track/s you want to play via an iPad/smart phone or on a qwerty keyboard. S.Q will be good. To get all audiophool follow the usual tweaks & tune tone to taste.

If this is beyond you get someone to help & use this forum for advice. I can give you a list if you like. If you follow it you will probably leave this subject alone & be listening to some of the finest audio you have heard.

Get over yourself. It's all already been designed. Designed to deal with far more taxing issues than streaming digital 2 channel playback. Its the 21st century! Not 1901. Find the right set up for you and Just use it. There are potentually far less compromises than any other "format" you describe.