You don't need a DAC per se, but it will improve sound quality. It will basically squeeze a little bit of extra definition out of that lossless file. You can pick up a good used one for 200-300 here, sometime even less. In the meantime just hook your laptop up to your NAD using a 1/8" to rca cable and enjoy!
Newbie G4 laptop to NAD 320 BEE setup
I am trying to figure out my options for the optimum laptop setup. I have a G4 17" 1.3 Ghz running Itunes with Apple Lossless audio files. I am going to connect the laptop to an NAD320 BEE integraded amp driving a pair of Klipsch Forte speakers. I am currently trying to figure out the connection to the amp. Do I really need a DAC with 24/192khz sampling, or can I use something simpler like a Behringer UCA202 U-Control Audio Interface, or Behringer FCA202 - FireWire Audio Interface. I evetually want to add a tube pre-amp to the setup. I have looked through the forum and there seems to be issues of jitter etc with the laptop setup, but technically with lossless files, shouldn't I be able to get CD quality audio? Any suggestions on the setup will be greatly appreciated.