I need DAC help

You pretty much have it - Computer into a DAC into the amp - just make
sure the DAC you use has the USB driver for the operating system you are
using - its needed so you can select the dac as a device in place of
speakers

That will get you basic internet radio of reasonable quality.

You could even skip the dac and just take the headphone jack into the pre-
amp - even simpler - not quite the same quality though :-)

It's when you want to improve the quality with hi-res downloads that you
might want to get more a more sophisticated setup to improve playback
quality.

If you think you might want to explore hi-res then you should look at a DAC
with an asynchronous USB port and decide what the maximum sample rate
you will download - higher sample rate means more disk space required

Happy listening :-)

I have the Schiit Bifrost DAC with the asynchronous USB-2 and the UBER analogue upgrade - comes in at around $600

They also have a balanced model called the Gungnir for around $850
See https://schiit.com/

I can only talk to the Bifrost, which excels when you add a good power cord like the Silver Resolution from Signal came and a good interconnect - again the Silver Resolution series from Signal Cable is a good choice.

I did audition DACs from Wadia, Chord and Mytek - all above $1300, but found the Bifrost to match or exceed their performance.

Granted, adding good cables to any DAC will upgrade it's performance, but the Bifrost has demonstrated that it can provide extremely good sound.

I have completed several tweaks to the interconnect and power cables I use and every time the Bifrost has improved significantly each time - it's a keeper :-)

Hope this helps

Ghosthouse - good call on the usb cable - I forgot about that

FWIW - I just had a friend try my 1 meter DH Labs USB priced at $70 - he's now selling his Kimber Silver USB 2 meter cable priced at $299 - we both agreed the DH Labs was more detailed and smoother.

DH Labs seem to make pretty darn good products for a reasonable price - My DH Labs Optical cable blew my Chord optical cable away.

What power cable are you using on the Gungnir - stock or third party?

regards...

Rides - its definately a case of cables matter, but asynch transfer helps
also. The treatments don't have to be expensive - just informed :-)

I tried a couple of computer USB cables before settling on the DH Labs -
what a difference !

Ghosthouse - I've recently heard of a budget coax cable when fitted with
Copper Harmony rca's from Keith Louis Eichman Innovations that
outperformed a very expensive digital coax - I have tried them and they
worked very well on the coax cable I used for 16/48 kHz, alas I don't have a
digital source with a higher sample rate with spdif link so I don't know the
result for hi-res files.

I just tried a power cord experiment that surprised me - I bought a 12
gauge power cable from Lowe's (like Home Depot), - stripped the outer
sleave and brainded the 3 internal conductors an added some cheap
connectors ($20 for the pair)- to my surprise it performed extremely well -
very close to a very good quality cable - cost $35 for 6 ft - sounded good
on the Bifrost :-)

Regards