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Author Topic: Why do audio files travel through the Sound Card?  (Read 938 times)

larryrup

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Why do audio files travel through the Sound Card?
« on: October 22, 2013, 03:13:20 pm »

I've read the Wiki on audio set up, that says audio files travels through the sound card.  Why is this?  If the audio file is stored on a drive, delivered over a home network to a PC and out the USB port to a separate DAC, why couldn't it be the raw file that goes out?  I'm not disputing that it does go through the sound card, I am just trying to understand why.  Is it strictly because the file type is audio that makes it so?  Does the quality of the sound card matter at all?

Thanks

Larry
 
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Larry
HTPC, , JRiver.  Music Source:Network share drive.  Speakers:B&W P6, AMP:Yaqin 100b, DAC:BiFrost Uber, Headphones:Audeze LCD2, Sens HD600, AT W5000, Headphone Amps:XCAN v8, Woo Fireflies, Original EarMax.

JimH

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Re: Why do audio files travel through the Sound Card?
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2013, 03:37:37 pm »

If you're playing to a USB DAC, the files are sent to the device without being delivered to the sound card.
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