Typically MiniDSP will sit between source and amp.

However, you want to avoid multiple conversions too. That is, converting from digital to analog (from your DAC), then feeding it to MiniDSP where it’ll get converted to digital again for processing before getting converted to analog again before being fed to amp.

See how you’ve chained so far and what outputs your current devices have and how your network media player, your MiniDSP and your DAC can be lined up to minimize conversions.

DVD-A or SACD whatever is available, mostly in used market!

I listen to Apples Music, supposedly lossless - doesn’t quite cut for me.

Just keep researching and reading, albeit only from reliable sources. Stay away from YT videos with no credibility or Reddit posts talking highly of unknown stuff. Rely on science and d stay away from Snake Oil.

That’s how most of us got into it before we started buying anything serious or expensive!

Besides the components which you can buy and replace, 3 most important things for me -

• finding the right room and right place in the room to minimize uneven sound absorption/reflection
• room treatment - depending upon what is possible in the room, do the best for room treatment to further reduce effects of room on sound reflection.
• run equalization - my current receiver supports Audyssey - not the best and doesn’t have ideal results but still better than non-EQ’d room. (I mostly use FLAT and no Dynamic EQ)

Further, it may take couple of iterations of the above 3 steps to get the best possible results.

That’s neat!

I disagree!

If you look at your hearing test results, you’ll see degradation at higher frequencies. That means you’re still hearing it but perceiving it a lot less than others.

So investing in right tweeters is more important now than before :-)

Infinity Primus 360 - part of my first 5.1 set, more than 20 years ago, was pretty good. Walking through Best Buy, what surprised me with detail and d clarity was Martin Logan Motion 40. I ended up getting Martin Logan electrostatic speakers later and I think that its uniquely low distortion due to its diaphragm and the way sound is reproduced from it. IMHO, absence of passive crossover circuit above 250Hz may also have something to do with low distortion.

Great summary - it’s mind boggling how much confusion is out there. Couple of thoughts -

FLAC, WAVE, MP3 - comparing them is reasonable.

To talk about bit-depth, sampling frequency and if humans can hear any difference is a different topic altogether and should be discussed separately.

While the cheap Amazon/eBay amplifiers are theoretically great, I absolutely don’t see any value in their current form. Why - IMHO -

1. No speaker is perfect (fully flat frequency response)
2. No room at home is perfect (no sound reflection)

That makes calibration and room equalization essential which such types of amps don’t have. On the other hand, a used AVR, which possibly can be bought for around the same price, may have that.

Agree with that.

Audio experience is difficult to explain and it’s different for different people.

Go to Best Buy (or any similar electronics retailer) and try out headphones. See what you like.