Why is digital audio so complicated? Where did it all go wrong?

[Hifi_swlon]

OK, Krisp, Antoine, excellent - this is what I'm getting at.

So, is it true that the digital path from source to the input of the DAC is error free? (Antoine suggests this is 'at best' error free). I mean if there are no dropouts can we assume this, or is it not that simple in audio data?

Assuming error free transmission, how can it be made to be 'better' that having arrived error free?  I think this is the bit I'm really hazy on.

I understand there are a myriad of things involved on the D>A that all effect the final analogue sound.  But the starting point of that process - the final data the DAC uses in its buffers or whatever before it starts its conversion work - how can that be bettered than arriving error free and within the tolerances of the buffer memory of the DAC? Here I'm lost.  Is it that the more work the DAC has to do to 'control' this data, the more noise it generates? If so, why? And is this what we're talking about with all these server tweaks - re-clocking etc - that's the issue?  Are there any articles etc written on this?

And yeah, Krisp, I agree with most of what you said re listening and enjoying and the quest.  I believe I've been on that quest a few times, but even though I will still tinker, I am just trying to enjoy the music (in my system the room EQ and speaker choice seems to overpower any other tweaks I make anyway) but the real quest now is for knowledge and understanding.