[JamesXP]

Whether it be an internal soundcard or an external DAC, what will give me the best sound quality for under 100 GBP?

(must be available in the UK or EU)

 

[anwaypasible]

you are going to be met with opinions and people trying to sell you something they have had a part in.
read the specifications and search for benchmark results

very very low harmonic distortion is a good place to start.
once the low distortion is met, there are other characteristics like 'coloring' affects from the components selected and matched together on the printed circuit board.
an ability to play the signal without any noise = signal to noise ratio
the ability to play the signal without any interruption = harmonic distortion rating

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by anwaypasible /img/forum/go_quote.gif you are going to be met with opinions and people trying to sell you something they have had a part in. read the specifications and search for benchmark results very very low harmonic distortion is a good place to start. once the low distortion is met, there are other characteristics like 'coloring' affects from the components selected and matched together on the printed circuit board. an ability to play the signal without any noise = signal to noise ratio the ability to play the signal without any interruption = harmonic distortion rating

Pretty good advice. A DAC's job is simple: Convert digital data to analog audio. It is not a tone generator. If it has "character" or a "house sound" or is "warm," "euphonic," "musical" or "analog-sounding," it is probably simply wrong, as these are all euphemisms for coloration. If you start with independent measurements that show wide, flat frequency response and low noise and distortion, you start in a very good place indeed. Does this mean that measurements are better than listening? No. Only better than listening to other people's opinions on the internet.

P

 

[anwaypasible]

some things can affect the DAC's output though.
a lack of voltage
a lack of amperage
too much voltage (even for just a nanosecond)

it would be wise to understand that two products using the same DAC might not have the same audible results because of what is going on with the components on the printed circuit board.

one product might have a lack of voltage with ugly uncontrolled spikes.. while the other product with the same DAC has total control of the voltage feeding the DAC within a number of regulated efforts.
the same DAC could be made to look like a piece of junk using the two product examples above.

there are different DAC's to match different voltage supplies.
otherwise there would be only one with a default voltage (then hackers would realise giving the DAC more or less voltage makes the DAC sound better or worse)
different DAC's for different component layouts on the printed circuit board is what makes selection difficult.

many different companies and brands of resistors.. same thing for capacitors.
more than one material used to make resistors and capacitors also.
each combination of components needs a 'key' that fits exactly.

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

E-MU 0202 66 portraits of Liz and it's yours guv. Cor Blimey. Strike a light.

 

[leeperry]

I'd say you want to be galvanically isolated from the computer, and want to use top range opamps as DAC filters...because they color the sound far more than DAC chips ever will IMHO: Heres some test results for the new ESI Juli@ card. [3] - RightMark Forums
Quote:

Everybody -in different locations, at different times, without knowing from each other- told the same story, that they found the differences between opamps more important than the differences in dac chips.