[mitchb]

In what way is a dac used in a headphone/ headsphone amp setup? I get the concept of digital to analog but if your not using a stand alone transport what application is a dac used in a headphone setup?? This question may seem naive to those who know but I don't understand. Please explain. If you have a source(cd player) a headphone amp and headphones where does a dac fit in and why? What does it do? Please underdstand I'm new to this headphone gear stuff. I have been into audio forever but only recently got setup with headgear on a more serious level. Years ago I simply connected my headphones to the integrated of the time..When I got a pair of speakers I forgot headphones for years. Any explanation would be valued. I need to learn!

 

[MusicallySilent]

The audio coming out of a cd player is usually analog hence why you don't need a DAC.... When using it with a computer it doubles as a sound card to convert the digital signal into something headphones can process (usually used in a USB port)

If you use digital signals coming out of a disc change I am pretty sure the receiver converts it for the speakers

Don't quote me on this you might want more suggestions

 

[003]

A standalone cd player has the DAC built in. You could still use an external dac if the cd player had a digital output. In a computer, a DAC either acts as the sound card (usb), or is fed a bitperfect digital signal from the soundcard (toslink/coaxial).

 

[krmathis]

Any digital media (CD, SACD, Computer Audio, ...) need a DAC to convert the audio signal from digital to analog. If you use any of the above mentioned sources you need a DAC. Either the source' built in one, or an external one.

When we (the Head-Fi'ers) talk about DAC's we usually mean an external dedicated DAC. Which are fed digital signal from a source (ex. optical out on a computer), then converted to analog in the DAC before it enter the headphone amplifier.

 

[F107plus5]

There is one chain of thought that goes something like: "All transports are basically created equal. They just send out zeros and ones, but it's the DAC that does the magic and makes the biggest difference in SQ."

So if you find a transport with all the features that you want, but which may not be the best in SQ, just add your favorite external DAC!!