In digital high fidelity, signal transport represents the indispensable foundation for final sound quality.
Fundamental Technical Principle
Since digital transport always precedes the DAC in the audio chain, the converter's performance is directly bound to the perfection of the upstream transport. Let it be clear that high-performance audio - meaning sufficiently Hi-Fi for tangible cultural progress and real health benefits, or Hi-End perfection for audiophiles committed to personal expansion of sonic aesthetic consciousness: every node or link is relevant, all chained software and hardware will have significance when it comes to achieving maximum sound quality!
Operating System and Real-Time Kernel with Audiophile Renderer as the First Crucial Node as a Source of Natural Perfection for Digital Transport
Maximizing a sound system's audio quality is a cumulative process that becomes more than significant. This philosophy also applies to computers and music servers, even when they are galvanically isolated from USB receivers and DACs. There's a reason why computer-based audio often sounds less appealing than some high-performance CD and SACD transports, DAT and digital recorders, or integrated players called Streamers. The main reason is that maximum compatibility (which involves greater hardware and software complexity) comes at the expense of maximum playback performance. By configuring software and hardware to the minimum necessary to strategically minimize destruction and distortion from electrical noise (noise ripple), that is, corruption and random jitter, the Operating System and RT Kernel with the best renderer (for perfectly intact and fluid playback) will produce excellent results for both listening and mastering.
The naturalness and detail of the software stream source would always be audible and serve as a fundamental reference for every progress in hardware refinement.
For several reasons, the quality of network conditioners, power supplies, internal power filters, USB Host cards, and interconnections with galvanic optical isolation for computers and music servers requires wisdom, intelligence, analysis, experimentation, and research to achieve a more intact or perfectly focused digital transport, resulting in engaging audio because the sound will be rich in detail, space, dimensions, and enjoyable texture. Once all quality issues are resolved, Music Servers and Audio Work Stations with minimal GNU OS, absolutely configured for real-time operation (DRT), and Linux RT or Liquorix Kernel will always sound superior to any analog or digital equipment or device.