[LC3]

I was excited to learn that I could do more with my PC than MP3 rips, a sound card, a multimedia 2.1 system, and of course headphones.  This new world of external DACs, tube headphone amps, and quality active speakers was exciting at first glance.  But as I look deeper into it, I wonder if this really has the potential to be a desktop version of the hi-fi component system I've wanted (e.g. Marantz-type components, Paradigm speakers, full-sized headphone amp, etc).  Or will it be a glorified version of the Xonar and Logitech 2.1 speakers I have now?  Is it worth dropping around $1,500 on higher-end desktop gear, or is anything beyond an HT Omega Halo Claro and Swans M50W going to be a case of a slight SQ increase at a disproportionate cost increase?
 
As just one point of reference, is a PC's $80 internal BD drive really just as capable of a player as something like an OPPO?
 
Thanks,
LC3

 

[Head Injury]

A properly set up computer-based sound system will sound every bit as good as a kajillion dollar vinyl/CD/SACD/DVD/BD system, if that's your concern.
 
Speakers are a different matter. Desktop speakers will never quite sound the same as loudspeakers in a treated room, just like headphones will never sound quite like desktop speakers. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, just a different presentation.
 
Obviously if you want huge room-filling floor-standing loudspeakers you're gonna need more space than just a computer desk, but as a source for such a speaker, or near-field or headphones or whatever, there's not anything some PC-less system can do that a PC can't. And a lot of things a PC can do that are expensive, inconvenient, or impossible for other systems.
 
Blu-ray players are mostly made equal these days. It's the monitor or TV that really matters 

 

[Lorspeaker]

http://audirvana.com/
Try loading this software onto your Mac..or similar softwares if u are using Windows.
 
Grab a dac/amp from Audiogd, get some cables from Cabledyne.com..
plug in an inexpensive DT150..
 
and it is blisssssss...holographic bliss.
 
 
add a tubeamp for a cold nite.

 

[Sko0byDoo]

I am using a PC for music.  Digital formats offer a lot of conveniences, some major ones are: 1) sharing among devices/rooms from a single server, 2) unlimited playtime, 3) unlimited backups.  Just make sure that you rip in lossless formats in the beginning since computer memory is cheap enough that this shouldn't be a problem.
 
You should think PC/digital music is one of the source options besides CD, vinyl, radio, etc.  It either limits or caps your music enjoyment potential.  It's just one link in the whole music reproduction chain.  With the digital signal comes from the PC, feeds into a Marantz-type DAC, then to the amp and hook-up to a set of  Paradigm speakers.  You will get a full-blown Hi-Fi experience.
 
Now if you ask whether an expensive audio equipment is worth the price.  It depends...on you.  The computer BD drive would read the same info on a Blu-ray disk as the Oppo would do.  For audio spectrum, there are a lot subtle differences that people think it's worth the $$$: 1) how stable/solid the disk platform (any jitter would get into the reading process and introduce noise), 2) how precise the digital clock in the player (more precise, less jitter), 3) audio chip to convert the digital signal to analog (more-bits costs more due to more available dynamic range), 4) analog output circuit (this amplifies up the signal for output, most of the cost would go into this due to expensive capacitors (look up Blackgate cap), op-amp/tube circuitry, etc.).  
 
So the $80 computer BD drive is not going to beat-out the Oppo as far as music reproduction is concerned.  It's a cost-reward consideration.  

 

[cel4145]

The biggest sound improvements will come from better speakers and headphones as opposed to expensive electronics. So your HT Omega Halo Claro is pretty good. Buy better speakers

 

[LC3]

Thanks for the replies.  I don't plan to get into vinyl, so I'll stick with the desktop route.