[dankthropod]

DSP? What do you mean?

 

[paulrbarnard]

DSP? What do you mean?

Digital signal processing. It is possible to replicate many analogue filtering characteristics, or indeed negate them, using digital signal processing.

 

[dankthropod]

Wow that's cool, so you could make a DAC sound like another one?

 

[paulrbarnard]

Wow that's cool, so you could make a DAC sound like another one?

In principle yes. But in practice who knows. Some people here are saying they all sound exactly the same anyway.

 

[tlite]

OP here- yep, it's a subjective thread. DACs with different builds are bound to sound different- it's just to what degree and whether it's audible to people. What can YOU hear? Intentionally subjective and interested in what specific DACs people can (or can't) tell the difference between.

If you think you hear a difference, then you DO (at least as far as your humble OP's intent of this thread goes).

 

[Gazza]

Emphatically, yes, especially through speakers.

 

[dankthropod]

Ok this is very interesting, I'll check again once I go to my ear wax removal appointment. And I'll also check using my whaferdale 4.4 evos, if you say DACs have a major part in speakers.

 

[iFi audio]

Ok this is very interesting, I'll check again once I go to my ear wax removal appointment. And I'll also check using my whaferdale 4.4 evos, if you say DACs have a major part in speakers.

Yes, checking for yourself is the way to go, please let us know what you think even if you don't register any changes at all

 

[obzilla]

We're at Head-Fi, obviously most people are going to hear even the number of electrons passing through the cable and other fantasies created in their minds by mere confirmation biases. Some of them get very angry reading this and become sarcastic-elitist as a defense mechanism (against the irrationality of their purchases) telling you that "you can't hear the differences because you're poor and can't afford the proper gear to be able to do so" (gear they do have and you don't, of course).

Then, in a proper controlled blind test (matching voltages and everything correctly), the results would be remarkably funny as expected, but don't try to dig the hole of rationality here, at least use the Sound Science subforum.

...And I come from the future anticipating that this thread will end up closed sooner or later and most replies will be deleted by the mods (including this one, probably) because they're not in line with the "rules and principles" of Head-Fi, AKA you can annoy their sponsors. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I want to buy you a beer.

 

[paolosnz]

between dacs of very different cost it is easy to find differences, others not

 

[mikeyhd]

without DSP very hard to spot the difference, but I always use a very compact DAC, not the big/heavy DAC that stays at home

 

[obzilla]

between dacs of very different cost it is easy to find differences, others not

Mostly this ^. There’s some difference between some DACs but most DACs are mostly the same.

I think even between price brackets we’re looking at single digit percentages in terms of difference.

 

[Ufanco]

My feelings are that even if all dac decoded the signal the same, it’s what happens after its decoded that matters. I sat down over the weekend and listened to 5 different dac’s and there a definite difference in sound between them.
Once digital is decoded the signal passes thru the other circuits filter etc of each different devices that add the unique sound signatures. In less I’m overlooking something imho it seems to me this is what the discussion boils down too?

 

[iFi audio]

Mostly this ^. There’s some difference between some DACs but most DACs are mostly the same.

As with most things related to audio, it depends. Some setups would show no differences even between to very different DACs, and some would do that rather clearly

 

[hakunamakaka]

My feelings are that even if all dac decoded the signal the same, it’s what happens after its decoded that matters. I sat down over the weekend and listened to 5 different dac’s and there a definite difference in sound between them.
Once digital is decoded the signal passes thru the other circuits filter etc of each different devices that add the unique sound signatures. In less I’m overlooking something imho it seems to me this is what the discussion boils down too?

Inputs are very important too and depending on how it deals with electrical noise/jitter will yield different results. I had a qutest DAC fed over USB via my laptop and once switched to a better source it was the 2nd largest improvement apart headphone upgrade. Better DAC's will have better implemented circuits, but is it worth the chase will depend on the person needs, his setup and the rest of equipment.

I did a blind test with A8000 IEM against M6 Pro DAP/Macbook/Qutest+Luxman setup and every-time was able to tell which audio interface was used. Differences were small, but they were there and personally I wouldn't bother much if I was using just IEM's. These differences though become more apparent when I switched to well placed and revealing speakers.