onanboy

I wish I had the network model. I will probably go with a Squeezebox Touch later to get the same effect. I AVR in question is my TX-SR600 that got relegated to the basement (near the computer). I noticed that people keep thinking that I am referring to a laptop. I don't know if it influences what people think of the digital coax output but the computer is a tower with a motherboard that has both hdmi and a digital coax output built-in. I think I got my question answered. This really is a cool place to come for high end opinions about high end computer based audio. THANKS!

Thanks everyone who has replied! This is great info. I do know my soundcard can do 24/96 because both the computer and the AVR confirm it. I am sure that a standalone DAC would probably outperform the ones built into the Onkyo but probably at a great cost. I would need to weigh cost vs. performance on that one. I have been pretty happy on the Onkyo's performance so far and I am sure it may also vary based on the model. Since most component connections to AVR's these days go through DACs don't most companies (like Onkyo) hype that they use good quality (not great) DACs (Burr Brown DAC 'spec'd' for 192/24)? Onanboy

It is sometimes hard for newbies to get responses in tech forums. I appreciate you response. Onanboy

First time post. Hopefully I will not drop the ball. My question is if there is a better way, fidelity-wise, to connect my Acer desktop PC to my Onkyo Receiver. I currently connect the digital coax output of my PC directly to my ONKYO with a digital coax cable. I use Foobar2000 as my music player and have the it set for 24bit output and to use the WASPI bypass of the Vista mixer. Not to seem like a neophyte but is there any advantage to a USB Dacs or is that what someone uses when they have a laptop and don't have a digital coax output? Thanks, Paul