The best that can happen here is that each person can relate their own experience. In my case ripped CDs on a HD sound better played through a simple ASUS laptop via USB than they did played directly through an Oppo 105 by spdif.
As @ejr implied, bits are not simply bits. The timing and quality of the analog (yes, analog) stream of bits makes a great deal of difference in the ultimate SQ.
As @ejr implied, bits are not simply bits. The timing and quality of the analog (yes, analog) stream of bits makes a great deal of difference in the ultimate SQ.