Will computer to DAC replace transports and cdp's?

Let me try again. Playing a song (Bill Evans Live at the Village Vanguard - Track 1, let's say) from an external LaCie hard-drive, using my Apple laptop running iTunes as the interface -- with the U24 taking the USB signal out from the computer and converting it into S/PDIF, and then running a coxial digital cable from the U24 into my Dodson DAC, which was connected to a Modwright Preamp, a Pass Labs 250.5 amp and VR4JR speakers....sounded AS GOOD as playing the CD I ripped the music from via a CEC TL51X transport with the same coaxial cable out to the Dodson DAC and through the same system.

Anyone care to suggest why it would be as good or better? We all know that transports make a big difference, but it appears that the hard drive solution somehow works around whatever problem it is that a good transport fixes.

Let me jump in here with a slightly off topic question I'm very curious about. There is one so far unmentioned problem with computer audio I haven't seen addressed, namely fan noise. How do the contributors to this thread deal with it? I nearly went crazy figuring out how to minimize the 24db. computer fan in my PS Audio Power Plant, so the thought of more fan noise from other sources puts me off.

search posts on this subject by Edesilva. also check out the links given in these discussions (some comp hardware possibilities there).
as far as the comp noise - theres several ways to have a dead quiet pc, including keeping it in another room, having a fanless soution (some mini IPX simpleton to run the media front of the system) and lotsa ways of making your pc quiet (passive cooling, quiet fans, water cooling, quiet case, or noise killing enclosure for the machine), if it has to be close to the stereo.

Great thread! I am very close to going down this road. One FM question. I understand you can feed FM off your computer just like CD's. Seems there are FM streams which can be used. Is the sound quality as good as everything I am reading about here (CD) ? I think this could replace my FM tuner. I would assume the sound has a dead quiet background and no reception issues. Can someone tell me if these "FM" computer streams are free? Uncompressed? Choice of Jazz, Classical etc??

Great stuff and most exciting to me.

Thanks,

Bill