[Bytor123]

What would go on inside 'DAC 'A' to make it sound different to 'DAC 'B'?

 

[PointyFox]

Something wrong

 

[bigshot]

Some sort of DSP, equalization or tone control set differently.

 

[KeithPhantom]

Maybe, just maybe, digital filtering around the end of the passband.

 

[bigshot]

That would have to be pretty drastic to be audible. I haven't heard anything like that since before oversampling. 25 years ago?

 

[KeithPhantom]

That would have to be pretty drastic to be audible. I haven't heard anything like that since before oversampling. 25 years ago?

That’s why I said it. It has to be pretty much filterless NOS (add R2R for better and warmer results) and pure discrete components without caring about matching.

 

[bigshot]

Nobody buys that stuff except people who want messed up sound.

 

[manueljenkin]

What would go on inside 'DAC 'A' to make it sound different to 'DAC 'B'?

Differences in oversampling algorithm, power supply and analog stage for the most part, and clock/jitter. There could be more reasons, like ground loops, ground plane noise etc, but the above 3 are the major contributors.

 

[Redcarmoose]

People have different DACs for looks.

 

[bigshot]

Differences in oversampling algorithm, power supply and analog stage for the most part, and clock/jitter. There could be more reasons, like ground loops, ground plane noise etc, but the above 3 are the major contributors.

I've experienced ground loops in the past, but oversampling, analog quality and especially timing error are far below the threshold of audibility. That is the stuff you worry about if you are more worried about numbers on a page than you are what your ears can actually hear.

 

[KeithPhantom]

oversampling algorithm

Oversampling is a rather simple process, so I would not expect differences there.

power supply

Around 50-60 Hz, usually -100 dBFS of the fundamental, it does not matter for the human hear because it can't detect a signal this small.

analog stage

Since the amplification factor we're dealing with to take the signal to line-level is small, distortion and other artifacts are small compared to other amplification applications which require more current/potential.

clock/jitter

Again, stuff that's more -100 dBFS down the fundamental, it just does not matter. Also, jitter manifests as noise, and it will decrease the SINAD of a signal. The effects of jitter on the noise level of a circuit are small.

 

[magicscreen]

Here you can hear the difference between DACs.

Holo May Dac _(Z Reviews)_ TheCrownJewelofExcess​

 

[bigshot]

I skipped through it. All I heard was blather and a nice cat meowing. Where's the DBT?

 

[Redcarmoose]

Here you can hear the difference between DACs.

 

[magicscreen]

Thank you! So it seems you need this expensive player to hear the difference?
Zeos has used some Pi-whatever crap.