Should Sound Quality of Computer Audio be improved

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.

Pettyofficer, some of the pushback you are getting may be related to your inappropriate reference to computer audio as a "format". This may be just semantics, but it is not a format. There is nothing inherently limiting SQ in any lossless formats used in computer audio. They are the same bits and just as many as the ones in the studio.

Timlub- Fine for downloading from HDTracks, but what about
downloading anything else- latest software update for your
Media Player for example? Did you purchase Windows 8 from
certified Windows Retailer? Microsoft is really flaky with
the 12 Month free Customer Service. I bought Windows 7, but
because the disk sat on the shelf for a year I was only
eligible for 6 Months. The clock for this free Service doesn't begin on day of purchase, as you would expect. Try getting Microsoft Service after it has expired- lotsa luck!!!
Chadeffect- read my last response and tell me where I referred to sending Music File to a DAC? Lets both get back
on the same page now! I am referring to Downloading of Music Files, which always have to pass through an Operating
System. "Soon all new Music will only be available as Music
Downloads"- so I have been told a thousand times. O.S.
design for Audio Downloading still the perogative of
Microsoft, Apple, Macintosh....etc. You prefer the
processing for downloading of High Rez. Music Files. They
prefer the processing for games, Apps, DVD Movies...etc.
They prefer as little Processing as possible for Music ie:
Lower than CD Resolution MP3. They design the O.S. around
their perogative, pushing yours aside. This is the reason
why you need Wasapi, ASIO, Kernel Streaming...etc. It is
like taking a swiss army knife (Computer Audio with current
O.S.) to a Samurai Sword Fight (Other Formats specifically
designed for Music only). Be sure to bring lots of Bandaids
(Wasapi, ASIO, Kernel Streaming). I would think that you
would eventually get sick, and tired of being forced to
fight with a swiss army knife- and demand some help/improvement! Instead of holding your swiss army knife up as the Tool to best/replace all Samurai Swords. Sure,
you can design the swiss knife to do this- not without the
redesign of the O.S. by Computer Manufacturer's. They just
aren't the Music type. The result is a mixed bag of S.Q.
results for different listeners due to lack of consistent design in the O.S. for Music! Well lets just ignore this
and full speed ahead with Computer Audio anyways! Many
listeners get different results, and this only drags
Coumputer Audio down. Some think that this can be resolved by ignoring the original design of the O.S. by the
Computer Manufacturers. I suggest that you remove this ball, and chain around the neck of Computer Audio. It is
the only way to make sure! There are no other alternatives.
Edorr- of course there are limiting factors like the Sampling Rate of the Music File, and the Sampling Rates that your DAC can decode. Studio's are using a DXD Format
for editing, and mixing numerous Music Sources. It is
supposed to have a higher Sampling Rate than even SACD!
Don't buy the old wives tale of "Bits are just Bits". That
was old when the first CD came out. Don't mind pushback.
Better to get these issues out in the air. Many just want
everyone to blindly accept Computer Audio, like Zombies from the Walking Dead. I remain open to Computer Audio, but
it has to earn its position by consistently providing reliable S.Q. with a Music Selection that many can enjoy.
Only one way to do that! Current solutions wont accomplish
this.