Looking for opinions on DAC functions

Randy Myers

Randy Myers

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Hey all.... probably a dumb question but I wanted opinions of you more experienced people than I. Also because I do not totally understand how DACs work internally.

Is it easier on a DAC to try and keep your files at the same resolution minimizing having the DAC switch, or is it better for the DAC to decode various resolutions often.

In other words would it be better on a DAC for me to play the DSD converted files of all my PCM downloads or would the DAC work better switching resolutions often, playing these files at their original downloaded resolution? Or even going as far as mainly downloading 96 KHz files versus getting 192 KHz when available?

Or of course, could it not make one little bit of a difference? This question comes out of the old belief that both mechanical and electrical devices and circuits perform better when used periodically...

I know, probably a silly question... but any opinions?
 
Basically....

I really like the sound improvements by converting all my PCM files to DSD. I just wanted to be sure that this was not affecting my DAC being that it would now be always seeing either DSD64 from my music server or 96 KHz from my Redbooks going through the Remedy.

I don't think it will affect the DAC in the long run, being that it will be seeing other resolutions only on rare occasions, but wanted more knowledgeable and experienced members opinions
smile.gif
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This is just my thoughts on your question, the conversions would be done digitally by the chips, so it wouldn't be any different than a computer running doing different functions or a calculator, or any other digital device as far as that goes. In other words the conversions is just the DAC's job and I'd think it wouldn't make any difference what resolution you choose to listen to.
 
Mr Peabody said:
the conversions would be done digitally by the chips, so it wouldn't be any different than a computer running doing different functions or a calculator, or any other digital device as far as that goes
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I'm afraid there are many digital devices and they do differ in their computing power and word length.
The result of sample rate conversion will vary between devices depending on the algorithm chosen and the abilities of the processor to carry out the calculations needed with sufficient precision.
 
Randy Myers said:
Basically....

I really like the sound improvements by converting all my PCM files to DSD. I just wanted to be sure that this was not affecting my DAC being that it would now be always seeing either DSD64 from my music server or 96 KHz from my Redbooks going through the Remedy.

I don't think it will affect the DAC in the long run, being that it will be seeing other resolutions only on rare occasions, but wanted more knowledgeable and experienced members opinions
smile.gif
....
Click to expand...

It depends on what the sweetspot of your Dac is.
 
I didn't say everything would process the same. I interpreted his question as would it effect the DAC by changing from the various data rates. I meant the changing wouldn't effect anything in the same way it doesn't effect a computer doing various processing jobs.

Vincent Kars said:
I'm afraid there are many digital devices and they do differ in their computing power and word length.
The result of sample rate conversion will vary between devices depending on the algorithm chosen and the abilities of the processor to carry out the calculations needed with sufficient precision.
Click to expand...
 
wisnon said:
It depends on what the sweetspot of your Dac is.
Click to expand...

I know the engineers at Benchmark are supporters of PCM. PCM sounds very good but even though they have chosen to support only DSD 64, DSD through the DAC3 sounds absolutely amazing. To me it sounds better than any other digital recordings I have ever hear.
 
Different DACs have different designs, so there's no universal answer - I think this applies to most kinds of debate in audiophile world.

I think it's most important to stick with what sounds best to you, instead of somebody else's preferences, even if they designed your DAC. :P

Even if I recommend Lumin player users to use XLR cable (due to Lumin players having a true balanced design), I'll certainly respect their decision if they choose to use RCA cable for any reason. (RCA vs XLR is another interesting debate, not unlike PCM vs DSD, SS vs Tube, etc.)
 
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