Quote:
Originally Posted by
tim3320070 
The difference between 117db and 122db SNR is like splitting atoms for all you'll hear. 46db SNR is a 200:1 difference and is not audible. I feel like a stuck record here.
x2.
I totally agree with you. It is not possible for any human being to hear a difference between 117db and 122db under normal conditions. It is like saying that you can hear a fly when you are a few feets away from a jet that is taking off.
The main differences we hear between DACs are neither the SNR nor the THD figures. Usually they are low enough that they are not audible (they are audible by bats perhaps but not by humans). The differences that are heard are mostly in the time domain which is difficult to explain and not often measured.
Since we don't usually need more 100db (CDs have a maximum SNR of 96db, most recordings even high rez one have actual dynamic range that is far less than that), it is wortheless in my opinion to compare SNR figures of 117db vs. 122db.
If I make a car analogy, it is like if you are comparing 2 cars (A and B) on a track where the maximum speed is around 250 and saying that car A can do 300 an car B 350. What is more relevant would be to know which one has the best acceleration, handling, braking... If car A can accelerate, brake, and turn around corners faster, it will undoubtedly beat car B even if car B has a higher speed.
In a similar manner, if the dac that has 117db figure has much better time domain performance than the dac that has 122 db, it can crash under real world utilization.
