Square waves or 1's and 0's?

first you need to understand a meaning of analogue signal, than modulation, than sampling, than binary algebra.

otherwise any technical content will seem to be confusing.

Paul McGowan ran a huge post on these issues with DACs. Go to www.psaudio.com and read "Paul's Posts". It is a ton of reading...

Thanks, everybody. I've been reading on the net. Someone says the signal is 1's and 0's and the next person (critic) says square waves. You open the door so that I can understand the concepts. What started it is that I have an entry level (RCA)MIT digital coax and a signalcable digital coax. I knew that the MIT didn't cut it so I tried the signalcable and the sound opened up. Now I'm reading overwhelming positive reviews of Oyaide DR-510 and wondering if it would be a worthwhile upgrade from the signalcable at $140 or around there. Don't know if I will try it but I feel smarter already.

It's 1's and 0's. A cd is basically a file of 1's and 0's. DAC is a computer that converts digital (1's and 0's) to an analog signal ... D to A converter. Data must be loaded into memory before the CPU can process it whether streamed from a computer or transport.

Ideally it should work like any program. When it starts, loads into memory before running. This eliminates jitter, complex synchronization between DAC and tranport ... Can you imagine running your browser or MS Office off a CD drive?

Even HD video is streaming with more data demand than audio. Netflicks almost bankrupted before streaming to compete with the cable companies.

04-03-13: Knghifi
It's 1's and 0's.

Kng, while 1's and 0's are certainly being COMMUNICATED between the two components, the references to the signal, and to the possibility that it might be a square wave, would appear to indicate that what is being asked about is what is being "sent" in a physical/electrical sense.

As you will realize, numbers cannot be sent through wires, in that sense. So when "someone says the signal is 1's and 0's and the next person (critic) says square waves" (quoting from Lynne's second post), they are both wrong.

Regards,
-- Al