What is the optimal PCM rate and bitdepth? Is there any or do these settings depend on your DAC or on the streaming service?
Sorry, may be a dumb question, but I am a newbie and not a technical wizard, just a music lover…
Many thanks thanks in advance for your inputs and opinions!
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Depends on your gear, local files and streaming service.
I’m using an Audiotrak Prodigy USB soundcard on my Windows laptop. Which supports a maximum of 24/96. So 24 bits and 96 kHz.
Depending on what you play these values might change. If you are using a DAC, then it will change it’s output to match the music you are playing. Does depend on what your DAC supports of course 
Play a CD track, it will output as 16 bit & 44.1 kHz. Stream a high res stream from Qobuz, then it may output as 24 bit / 96 kHz. Or 16/44.1 depending on the source material.
So yeah what is optimal… I guess a mix of what your gear can handle, and what kind of music your feeding it.
But that’s me. I’m a music listener first, and not that much into the hi-fi stuff either.
How about you tell us about your gear ? That would help out.
We have some sharp members that should be able to make some recommendations to start from. But in the end you should test with your best recordings that you know well.
Many thanks for having taken the time to step in, well my setup is pretty simple, just the Lyngdorf DAC 3400 and a pair of Jean Maurer 370F…I do not use anymore my CD player, my old ears are not anymore able to distinguish between streamin Qobuz and a real CD, at least for classical music…so streaming much more convenient…huge choice, no more searching for a given CD in my chaos…
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