What do I need to get Hi-rez out of my late 2013 mackbook air?

What are you outputting to? 

I am looking to purchase an external DAC.

Correction, my MacBook is a mid 2012.  Time flies I guess.

Is there a way to use the original thunderbolt for audio?

http://www.wifihifi.ca/LatestNewsHeadlines/Hands-OnReview:AudioQuestDragonFlyBlack1.5/Red.html

Bypass the crap quality 25-cent internal DAC and introduce an external DAC or micro-DAC (preferred) as follows

(1) Apple lightning to USB3 camera adapter from the MAC Pro or iPhone 9-pin lightning port to the microDAC.

(2) plug in the External DAC or microDAC to the USB input in (1) above :

suggestion : Audioquest Dragonfly microDAC ..... Highly recommended
FWIW ...I did a lengthy personal A-B bake-off audition with the Red and new Black, and I actually preferred the Black as an overall performer . It is highly likely to be a bespoke headphone dependent result for you.
(my mobile headphones: Master & Dynamic MH-30’s.)

(3) Just plug the 3.5 mm connector plug on the headphone cable into the microDAC 3.5 mm connector plug , and you are good to go.

Thanks arg_ca, You posted some solutions for my iPhone which I do also want to explore. But this thread was about my computer…
There is no lighting port on the MacBook.


EDIT: I see now that they have USB as an option.  THANKS SIR.

What is your budget for a DAC? What is rest of the system?