[gx470]

haha heyy.
 
So, I have been checking this site around and I don't understand some of the "concepts."
 
What I am confused about is DACs and Amps.
 
What are they and why are they needed?
 
And also: with these many threads full of different brands etc. its really hard to know where a newbie like me, can begin.
 
Thanks for your help
 
^^
 
gx.

 

[Anaxilus]

DAC = Digital to Analog Converter.  Sound is heard as waves that are smooth with peaks and valleys...Analog.  CD's and most modern sources are digital meaning a bit rate is applied to an analog source (8, 16, 20 or 24) and that represents the number of rectangles under the analog curve used to approximate or rather define how that analog signal is to be stored digitally.  The more rectangles or bits you have the more accurate the processing and storage is.  If you took Calculus think back to approximating area under a curve.  Once the information is processed by whatever bit rate is chosen and stored on a CD, it then needs to be decoded from that CD or DAP back into a smooth analog signal that humans can listen to.  Unless you are Neo from The Matrix you probably don't listen to your music in Binary.  
 
Amp = Power Amplifier.  Speakers generate sound by moving air and creating vibrations that turn into sound waves.  In order for a speaker to reach its full potential to do that it requires a certain amount of power to make those speakers move.  Most players will drive a speaker enough to make sound, but usually that sound is not optimal because it is not receiving enough power to make the speaker use its full potential.  That's where an amp comes in.  Amps can also be used to color or alter a source sound to a desired signature.  
 
For amps, search for Skylabs comprehensive reviews.
 
For DAC's, I think there isn't much of a centralized source.  Search out Burr Brown, Wolfson or Cirrus Logic.

 

[gx470]

ooh. that makes sense
 
So if I wanted to use a higher end speaker to play music from my laptop I would use a DAC.
 
sweet. thanks haha ^^

 

[Ypoknons]

All setups need some kind of amp, and if you have any digital music (CD, mp3s, anything except vinyl really) you need a DAC because headphones don't move to 0's and 1's. In the headphone world, the question is whether you want to upgrade from that cheap but actually decent amp and DAC in your portable music player or laptop or whatever.