Imagine if you will, a square wave, as opposed to music on the record. My rig will slightly round off the corners, while a much more expensive rig would do a better job. This square goes to the 1st stage of the interface where it is reproduced as a better square due to the upgraded capacitors. That stage gives the signal to a 2nd stage before it enters the computer and is transformed into digits. The 2nd stage makes a larger improved square as a result of the capacitors.
After the signal is changed to digits it goes to the hardrive. Square, triangle, or circle are all the same to the computer and it's digits. Those digits are stored on the hardrive where I can select them for my "playlist". On playback, the digits go to a Music Streamer II where they are transformed back into analog and sent to the preamp.
All of this enables me to hear my 40 year old LP's in a fashion that I never heard them before I posted on the "hum" problem. What I hear now, is a quality of sound that reviewer's describe when relating their first listen to a very expensive analog rig. "My old music sounds brand new, it was almost like hearing it for the first time". Of course, if you can afford that type of analog rig; why not skip the digits.
Enjoy the music.