nalayvel

I am sure there are better ways to phrase this question, but if a DAC takes a source's digital information and adjusts / corrects that information, does that mean the DAC sends an identical signal to the amplifier no matter what the source is? Is that what makes a DAC sound different depending on the model?

Sorry. I'm confused. An electronic signal leaves your computer and enters the DAC. The signal exits the DAC and heads for the amplifier. At that point, does the original source have any effect on the sound at all? Wouldn't identical rips sound the same whether they came from a MAC or PC, laptop or desktop?

I'm new to this and setting up my first system using iTunes and an old laptop so I have a screen. If all my music was stored on an external drive, and then I used a DAC into a Panasonic xr 55 receiver, would the specs / age of this laptop degrade the digital output? Would a firewire drive be an improvement over a usb? Thank you.