Best audio from your computer?

I dont have the room to use a turntable, let alone space to keep all my vinyl or Cd's on a shelf near my stereo. I use my laptop as my sole source of audio. all my favorite tracks have been converted to lossless files. I use itunes. then an apogee duet. (firewire I/O) to my Pas 3 and ST70.

just curious if anyone has suggestions to get the best performance. any hardware/software I should add?

I use a similar setup but the sound in my system is greatly improved with a DAC in front of the amp.

You may want to check/google Winamp - Roxio problems.
If I recall, when I was using Winamp there was a conflict with Roxio the disabled the Disc Burning capabilities of your DVD Drives. There was no resolution to this problem - Uninstalling did not work.

I ended up upgrading to a new Hard Drive with Win7 and not installing WinAmp.

I don't know if the conflict still exists with newer versions of Winamp.

Bob Latino wrote: Hi,

Winamp can play FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) files directly. There is another thread on the forum here about this.

What you do is convert your CD's to FLAC files using the FLAC encoder. Once encoded they are played directly with Winamp. The sound quality playing FLAC files is noticeably better than playing mp3 files. Both the FLAC encoder and Winamp are FREE downloads.

Where to get the FLAC encoder

Where to get Winamp

Bob

SUNNFRK? i know this post is from 2010 but, what did you find? what are you doing now,still on a laptop?or a phone.
i use spotify on a laptop,and set all my settings flat.WITH A 1/8 TO RCA adapter i go into a Harman Kardon HK730 aux, and use its preamp out to the ST 70.
was also curios if anyone does something similar, and had good results with certain things,like particular sound management,or'settings ,sound cards,etc

First, subscribe to Tidal, at cd resolution (4x Spotify).

Then, get a good dac from Schiit or elsewhere,

Then,

enjoy.

No matter what source or service you use, a decent DAC is a necessity.
Been meaning to point a thumbs-up for this little unit, which blows me away - and for a ridiculously low price. MassDrop has had it for just over $100!!!

https://www.soundphilereview.com/reviews/topping-d30-review-768/

audiobill

First, subscribe to Tidal, at cd resolution (4x Spotify).

Then, get a good dac from Schiit or elsewhere,

wow, cool i will look into those, i saw something about benchmard adc1 or 2 today, but they are way over the top cost wise. for me anyway.
hmmmm tidal huh?....how is it as far as library wise, or control wise(as in music control/ie playing rules)

kently

No matter what source or service you use, a decent DAC is a necessity.

thanks, pretty good ratings there. i will look into these.

I can personally vouch for the Topping D30. I've been using it for 3 months. It's very basic, but the build quality is surprisingly good. I've had 0 problems. It has no sound of its own, as the reviewer states. Which suits me just fine.

Tidal - 30 million tracks at cd resolution for $19.99 per month. $11.99 if a veteran.

Like having 3 million cds in your home for the cost of less than one per month.

audiobill
Tidal - 30 million tracks at cd resolution for $19.99 per month

well Tidal sounds awesome! i pay 9 something a month for spotify premium, so 10 more for the good quality dont bother me.. i play music more than anything else.

kently
I can personally vouch for the Topping D30.

did you say it was 100 bucks?

I paid $105 delivered for the Topping from MassDrop. It's not on their list right now, but check eBay. Don't pay over $120 for it.

cool. thanks, i have seen alot of people say to use a dac, so i guess. im on that path

There is a potential difficulty with the Topping if you use a computer with a Windows OS which only has a USB digital output. You need a special driver installed in your puter or the Topping will not recognize the signal. Supposedly the driver is included on a CD-ROM but it wasn't in my package. Typical Microsoft BS. I'm with Linux now. It's the only intelligent OS.

oh crap. yea..see i r4un win 10 on my laptop.
ill still check it out

Just make sure whoever sells the Topping includes the CD-ROM and you should be fine.
Oddly, for unrelated reasons I had purchased a USB to S/PDIF converter prior to my Topping purchase, and prior still to my defection from the whole stupid Windows debacle.. The only virus that ever affected my puter was Windows 10.
But I'm not prejudiced....

lol, i hear ya, im not such a fan of the "cell phone" style software. i was ok with win 7. i liked that alot. seemed damn stable!
i will be sure to get drivers. oh hell yea! especially now that you've informed me.
thanks kently

Since you're in CT and I'm in MA you aughta come up and hear the nicest under ten thousand buck stereo you've ever heard.
PM for options.
For the best way over $10,000 stereo, you'll have to go to Idaho and visit our compatriot deepee. He's wonderfully endowed.

post a pic! lets check it out

Nothing special to see.
CD transport is Rega Apollo./ System 76 Lemur Linux-based computer.
Topping D30 DAC.
VTA SP-14 preamp - an absolute must for proper imaging and bloom. I upgraded coupling caps to Mundorf S/G/O. Worth the $200.
VTA ST-120 with upgraded coupling caps and tubes.
Tyler Halo 2s with upgraded tweeters (Morel from Israel).
REL sub - a true subwoofer in that one can crossover as low as necessary, and integrate properly with mains.
A small room heavily treated with household materials.Trust me - no-cost materials can do it as long as there's no one else who demands decor over efficiency.
My goal has been achieved of having a listening environment equivalent to the kind of of neutral sound that you hear in in a recording studio monitor situation. Not pretty but sublime sound.

currently running free trial of lossless tidal.
pretty major difference!
still workin on getting a dac. but DAMN what a difference already.

A good DAC

Install Foobar2000
https://www.foobar2000.org/

Option driver
Install plug-in ASIO4ALL 2.14 - English. This is lossless driver that you don't have to configure. Make sure to select this driver for the DAC or use your DAC USB driver which you have to configure.
http://www.asio4all.org/

or can use WASAPI driver for the DAC if the DAC doesn't have driver
https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_wasapi

Option for Ipad to control the music library
Get the monkeymote for foorbar2000 then install the plug-in
Use ipad to download the monkeymote app

Or you can hook up the laptop or PC to TV through HDMI or DVI or Analog with a cordless mouse.

Second software but this is not easy to setup which it runs under linux. If needs help, let me know.
https://www.ap-linux.com/

i use to love poweramp, it was always my goto player, then they seemed to fade into the dungeon of lost parameters
lol, THE LAMA..
thanks so much for bringing this to my attention!
am i going to be able to play my tidal or spotify through that engine?

Tidal is online music streaming which you don't own the music, you pay for the service.

These are stand alone software to run you own music library which you rip from CDs. There are many software out there that can rip lossless in FLAC format that comes around 20-30MB each song.

I don't know about cheap DAC but expensive DAC such as Benchmark DAC 1 and 2 come with the USB driver which you can configure your windows to push out the USB driver to the DAC to play with Tidal.

The built-in high definition audio on PC or laptop is good enough to push out the music to your audio but expensive DAC will do better in 2 channels audio.

ive been using spotiy or at least over 5 years.tidal is very very similar,
i dont need to own the tunes, i can download it within the program and play all my libraries off line anywhere.i have over 2,000 songs between all my lists.
i use to use winamp exclusively when i was in my 30's building/upgrading IBM pc's back then. lol..remember the aptiva's. wow. its been so long.
i was considering a dac like topping,,or a headphone amp like the Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus and using a 1/4 to 1/8(3.5mm)adaptor for the 1/8 to rca cable
and yes,the built in engine in windows,as for now, i shoot my receiver the signal direct from a 1/8 plug on my laptop to the rca plugs with a 1/8 to rca adaptor cord, works great,i can already hear a BIGTIME difference between masters,and HD using TIDAL. but like you said,and others have told, dac through usb is even better audio quality out. i may try a dragonfly. im gonna see if i cant listen to them all at best buy or somewhere.