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Do many people use a DAC?

post #1 of 65
11/24/05 at 4:48am
Thread Starter 
Do many people use a DAC and do you really notice a difference?


Thanks
Allan
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post #2 of 65
11/24/05 at 4:56am
Call my cynical, but I'm betting DACs aren't the magical devices people make them out to be. I wouldn't doubt if you couldn't tell the difference between a high end PC audio interface, CD player, etc., and a DAC1.
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post #3 of 65
11/24/05 at 5:10am
it all depends highly on your equipment. with lowend equipment it's much harder to notice differences between a high quality source and a mid/low end one. but if you own a fairly high end system that is revealing, a high end source is very noticeable. and it's more of a gradual thing to be honest, you won't fully appreciate a good DAC in 5 minutes. it takes a while to really appreciate all that a good DAC can bring to the table.
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post #4 of 65
11/24/05 at 5:11am
lol.

DAC is an acronym that stands for digital-to-analog converter. without it you cannot enjoy music stored in a digital format (unless you enjoy looking at the raw digital data itself I guess) so I'm guessing many people use DAC's.
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post #5 of 65
11/24/05 at 5:20am
ER-4S is a "high end and revealing" system?
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post #6 of 65
11/24/05 at 5:20am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ayt999
lol.

DAC is an acronym that stands for digital-to-analog converter. without it you cannot enjoy music stored in a digital format (unless you enjoy looking at the raw digital data itself I guess) so I'm guessing many people use DAC's.
I am talking about an outboard DAC like the Micro DAC. My understanding of an outboard DAC is that it is suppose to sound better than the DACs built into various digital audio devices - CD players, DVD players, computer audio adapters and so on.


Allan
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post #7 of 65
11/24/05 at 5:27am
and I'm talking about DAC's in general since that's what you asked.
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post #8 of 65
11/24/05 at 5:28am
Sig.
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post #9 of 65
11/24/05 at 5:28am
Maybe I don’t understand your question but I don’t think you would need an external DAC if your portable player already does it. DAC’s should be bit-perfect so regardless of internal or external it should produce the same signal. The only reason for an external DAC is if the source doesn’t offer a direct analog output, so a DAC that will allow analog output to your headphones would be needed. I did however read something a while back about the clock in DAC’s for the timing. Maybe that’s what you’re trying to have answered?

EDIT: Doesn’t think belong in amplification or another forum?
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post #10 of 65
11/24/05 at 5:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by allan-of-ca
Do many people use a DAC and do you really notice a difference?


Thanks
Allan
I guess you mean external standalone DAC, because ANY digital device uses a DAC to produce the analog signal we amplify and listen to. Yes, many people use a DAC. The reason is greater flexibility. You can have a good DAC and connect to it several devices, such a CD player and a computer, and you get the same good analog signal from all of them. With an expensive CD player you may get the same good sound, but you are limited to one device. Plus the mobile parts of a CDP are easy to replace if you use a cheap CDP connected to a DAC, but more difficult if both components are within the same expensive box, and you'll be forced to repair it.
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post #11 of 65
11/24/05 at 5:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Riku540
Maybe I don’t understand your question but I don’t think you would need an external DAC if your portable player already does it. DAC’s should be bit-perfect so regardless of internal or external it should produce the same signal. The only reason for an external DAC is if the source doesn’t offer a direct analog output, so a DAC that will allow analog output to your headphones would be needed. I did however read something a while back about the clock in DAC’s for the timing. Maybe that’s what you’re trying to have answered?

EDIT: Doesn’t think belong in amplification or another forum?
First off, check out 'jitter'. Second, whether DACs are bit-perfect or not, they all have analog sections and thus will sound different.
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post #12 of 65
11/24/05 at 5:42am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Riku540
EDIT: Doesn’t think belong in amplification or another forum?
You are right. I should have posted this in the amplication forum. I do apologize.


Allan
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post #13 of 65
11/24/05 at 6:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ref
ER-4S is a "high end and revealing" system?
I am no expert in high end, but I think they are VERY good
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post #14 of 65
11/24/05 at 6:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by allan-of-ca
You are right. I should have posted this in the amplication forum. I do apologize.


Allan
DACs are considered source and would therefore fit better in the "Dedicated Source" or the "Computer as Source" forums depending on how you are going to use your DAC (either wth your CD player or with your computer).

Regards,
Venio
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post #15 of 65
11/24/05 at 7:19am
Benchmark DAC1 is the best bit of gear I own. Did it improve the sound of my system: for speakers tenfold - much better bass control, higher and clearer treble, better mid resolution, for headphones similar improvements but the scale of improvement was less.

Add the cost of the DAC1 with its more than adequate headphone amplifier and compare it to a CDP with a similar amp and the DAC1 is a bargain in my view.

TonyAAA
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