As a test, I downloaded files from HDtracks.com, an online retailer specializing in hi-res audio, plugged a device known as a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) into my computer and listened over earphones.
Case in point: the Icon iDo integrated digital-to-analog converter (also called a DAC) and integrated amplifier is geared specifically toward Apple portable devices like the iPhone and iPad.
Yeah, digital ports would've been more alluring, but the Air DAC seems to be targeted at the average consumer and we're told it'll have a price to match.
At the core of the Fidelio SoundBar are high quality TI Class-D amplifiers - with a built-in DAC - powered by a compact SMPS (Switch-Mode-Power-Supply) to provide a full digital architecture, delivering highly efficient audio amplification and premium audio quality.