Received my Wadia i170 transport today.

Can anyone please explain if or why this configuration should outperform Foobar or iTunes on a laptop exported through USB to an external DAC?

I care about sound quality, but I don't care about playlists and I don't care about consolidating my music collection on a handheld device.

Thank you,

As there is still not one single reply to:

"can anyone compare this transport to computer based USB output to DAC?"

I am beginning to suspect a conspiracy.

Did Starbucks acquire Wadia or something?

In the meantime, I felt a fleeting sense of good fortune to receive one of these backordered devices.

But with this thread, I haven't been brave enough to even open it, since I might just decide to return it for a refund.

Aside from technical glitches, the convenience of docking, whatever, how does this thing really SOUND?

Thank you,

OK then?!?!? I GIVE UP!!!

FYI, I have just received my RETURN AUTHORIZATION for the Wadia.

Fortunately, Music Direct was very cooperative.

Some of you might also be interested to note that when pressed, Music Direct couldn't really defend the iTransport above and beyond a computer, other than to say, as I suspected:

* that the iTransport offered the convenience of docking and recharging

and MAYBE

* certain Windows kernel streaming software might not be as clean and straightforward as an iTunes handshake....

So as I suspected, this thing - in the end - is really no big deal.

Cheers,