How is my laptop affecting my sound quality more than my DAC?

[Matthew T2]

I have been using a laptop for some years now to stream music via a DAC through my hi-fi. The sound was ok but nothing really special, a bit thin and lacking bass. I recently also added a subwoofer to complement my bookshelf speakers but found that I had to crank it up to around 140hz to get a decent performance from it which I knew was way beyond what anyone reccomends.
However, just recently I have replaced my aging laptop and the sound has improved quite a bit. There is much more bass and overall the sound is more full bodied. I had to adjust my subwoofer to around 80hz which is about what most people recommend.
My question is; what else can affect the sound besides the DAC? I thought the computer just provided the information and the DAC handled everything else. I haven’t changed anything else in my setup. Same amp, same DAC, same speakers and subwoofer etc. Could it be the power supply for the laptop or just a wearing out of components within the laptop that affected the sound so much?

 

[abacus]

If the bits from the stream (Or whatever your music comes from) go straight out to the DAC (Unmodified in any way) then the sound is totally dependent on the external DAC, however most computers don't do that natively, therefore the DAC gets whatever the computer is setup to give (Which is usually worse than what the original is), hence it is best to bypass the computer sound system completely by using an ASIO driver so that the DAC gets the native signal.

Bill

 

[Matthew T2]

Cheers for the reply. Much appreciated.

 

[Revolutions]

You probably need an audiophile computer cable…

(That was a joke, btw. What Bill said 👍🏻)

 

[Vincent Kars]

A simple one is to check the audio settings on the PC: https://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/Windows/Win7/AudioPanel.htm
My personal preference is to bypass the Win audio completely by using a media player (MusicBee) allowing you to use WASAPI in Exclusive mode or as Bill suggested, use ASIO but your DAC must support this protocol.

The Well-Tempered Computer

 

[ninanina]

A simple one is to check the audio settings on the PC: https://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/Windows/Win7/AudioPanel.htm
My personal preference is to bypass the Win audio completely by using a media player (MusicBee) allowing you to use WASAPI in Exclusive mode or as Bill suggested, use ASIO but your DAC must support this protocol.

The Well-Tempered Computer

Well I guess pc’s or Mac’s were never designed to work 100% for keen hifi people/audiophiles

I am sure that pc’s/Macs will do a good job as a front end but that doesn’t make them the best for that use

 

[davidf]

I'll say similar.

PCs/laptops etc are designed for one purpose - and that isn't audio quality. For audio, you get a sound system that works. I'm not saying it can't sound decent, but the various steps in the audio chain aren't addressed as it would be in say the case of an Innuos server, as an example. An audio server has been optimised for audio reproduction, not surfing the internet, sending emails, editing photos, producing XL spreadsheets, etc etc.

 

[ninanina]

I'll say similar.

PCs/laptops etc are designed for one purpose - and that isn't audio quality. For audio, you get a sound system that works. I'm not saying it can't sound decent, but the various steps in the audio chain aren't addressed as it would be in say the case of an Innuos server, as an example. An audio server has been optimised for audio reproduction, not surfing the internet, sending emails, editing photos, producing XL spreadsheets, etc etc.

👍

 

[DiggyGun]

How are you using your laptop?
A- to play local music stored on it
B- using a subscription streaming service

It would be preferable to use a dedicated streamer.
For A- get one with with a USB for connecting you laptop to use as a storage service
For B- there are many cheap streamers out there, with or without DACs.

If you get a streamer with a DAC, this will reduce the number of boxes, cables and connections that you use, simplifying the process.

It may help to detail the kit / cables that you use to get a more specific detailed answer.

DG…

 

[Dave_]

MacOS, Windows and Linux are all capable of outputting Bit perfect audio.

Digital audio isn't the dark art, that requires specialist, expensive hardware that audiophiles seem to think it is....

 

[Witterings]

I was going to sugget the same as @DiggyGun ... to get a streamer.

It also makes it more convenient that your laptop doesn't have o be wired to your DAC and if you connect the streamer to the same network as your laptop it shoul dbe able to find any music stored on it.
Even a WiiM mini would do what you want, plugged into your DAC, if you o higher up the chain though, the more expensive ones have sub out / bass managment if that's something that would be useful for your sub.

 

[abacus]

The only difference between a streamer and a laptop are that the streamer has its own software (Much the same as a phone/Tablet), apart from that it is just a basic computer.
A computer is way more flexible than any streamer as it can run any streaming software you want, and can have anything connected to it.
All the music you buy/stream is done via computers these days (And has been for decades) so its complete nonsense to say that computers cannot give you audiophile (Whatever that means) quality.
Think about it, you add the best DAC to your computer, then add an interface that can take any type of input you want, choose your streaming service/software, and you have a quality of input/output way beyond what any streaming box can do.

Bill

 

[Vincent Kars]

Innuos server

What about the Innuos Nazaré?
Starting at $50,000.
Is this the pinnacle of music servers or the pinnacle of scam?

 

[record_spot]

I'm not so sure the DAC is the be all and end all in sound quality. Speaker positioning and the amp are way bigger arbiters, likewise your computer's audio settings, than the DAC.

I don't use my laptop much for music today, prefer either LP, CD or via the streamer, but from recall, while it took a little time to get everything dialled in, once completed, it was all good and sound quality was fine.