Music is produced by a musician playing their music and recording in onto a computers hard rive. Your computer’s hard drive will then use software to turn those files into Audio allowing you to plug in a pair of earphones and play your music in the best quality possible.
There are many different types of files that music can be stored in each with their own benefits and problems, however one thing that all music will have in common is that your computer will use a DAC, Digital Analog Convertor to change the files on your computer into music. In short, it’s the DAC, the Digital Analog Convertor that changes the files on your computer into the amazing sound that you hear through your headphones.
How to Use a DAC
The best way to get this great sounding music from your computer is to attached your DAC via a USB connection, however every now and again, your computer will not automatically recognize your DAC via the USB connection and therefore you’re going to need to do this Manually. The instructions for this are below;
Windows Media Player
For Windows - Start Menu>My Computer>Control Panel>Sounds and Audio Devices>Audio>Sound Playback. Once you have opened this Tab, look out for Audio Default Device, pull the drop-down menu and select “USB Audio CODEC", then OK and Apply.
For Apple Products
For Apple Computers - Go to System Preferences/Sound then choose USB Codec. If you're using the optical connection, select 'optical' in the list of choices. Remember, the USB DAC or optical connection must be plugged into the computer for this selection to appear.
Apple iPad: By using the Apple 'Camera Kit' which is essentially a USB output adapter that Apple sells separately from the iPad, audiophiles can make the iPad or iPad 2 a true digital-output portable player ready for serious sound quality improvements via USB feed into any HeadRoom DAC + headphone amp!
How To Use A DAC With Your iPod?
Unfortunately this is not possible as a DAC is to be used to convert digital to analog, however an iPod starts off with Analog meaning that it’s impossible to without some very specialist equipment to turn the output into digital music.
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