Why so many DACs?

Randy Myers

Randy Myers

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It just seems like there are far too many DACs. Every day I see a new one being talked about. It just seems crazy... and I assume that it just seems this way to me, but it seems like there are more DACs then other components. Also, many use the same DAC chips, while many of the higher ones appear to use custom chips.

This was the one area of this crazy hobby that was hard for me to gain an understanding of after jumping back in, to a point where I went through a ridicules amount of DACs (I would have to add them back up but I believe it was either 12 or 14?).

It just seems like the amount of companies offering DACs, many that I have never heard of before, is just over whelming. Darn glad that Mike got me to try the T+A!
 
Randy, this is an excellent question. The short answer would be, there isn’t any other area of high end audio where the advances over the past 5, 10 or 20 years have been greater. Just think of the DAC’s from 5 years ago. Most have long been surpassed by quite a wide margin. Just look at the sound you’re getting out of that DAC8! Look at what MSB is doing with the perfection of the ladder DAC. Look at what PS Audio can do with firmware updates. Heck, we even have a plethora of tube DAC’s!

The integration of network cards (Roon) is another advancement and of course, we have the ever controversial MQA.
 
Hehe Mike.... you always clear things up, some what. I just look at the various names mentioned in the threads, even on the first page of Computer/Digital Audio thread... holy crap.... it makes your head spin :D.... (btw- 10, of which most I have never heard of, and not one of the "big names" are even mentioned on the first page :))
 
Dac's are like any product when it becomes hot, you'll find plenty of people wanting a piece of the pie.

Look back at the point when higher end cables were discovered to help and became hot, the renaissance of turntables, on and on.

The quick switch to streaming and media servers called for access to the DAC, then stand alone DAC, as it was expected, the listener would just stop playing discs I suppose. Anyway, there was a need, or, at least an opportunity, and companies are taking/filling it. Who can build a better mouse trap.

The chip is just one small part of the overall DAC, that's why Astell & Kearn's portable sounds different than Hegel DAC's, both good, both use the same DAC chip in many of their DAC's. A lot goes into receiving the digital feed before it sees the DAC and a great deal goes into the analog section of a DAC. That's why DAC's can be a cheap as a couple hundred dollars up to the stratosphere.
 
Hey give it another month or so and more dac updates and the next best thing will be out along with the marketing gee wiz wording and the forum accolades. Spend spend spend.
 
I am really really really really really really really hoping that the T+A will fulfill my DAC needs for a while.

I was definitely in need of an intervention ever since Normal convinced me that I HAD to get a DSD DAC. I think you could probably classify him as a DAC pusher from what it has led to :).

"God dam the pusher man" ...

ps. if you are too young to know where that came from then I truly feel sorry for you :D
 
Randy Myers said:
I am really really really really really really really hoping that the T+A will fulfill my DAC needs for a while.

I was definitely in need of an intervention ever since Normal convinced me that I HAD to get a DSD DAC. I think you could probably classify him as a DAC pusher from what it has led to :).

"God dam the pusher man" ...

ps. if you are too young to know where that came from then I truly feel sorry for you :D
Click to expand...

oh yes, 1968
 
Bingo... one of my favorite bands growing up! (Opening credits for a fairly famous movie also)... starring ... :)
 
I have a DSD download of the first album (where The Pusher, Born to be Wild, etc. came from), 192kHz versions of 3-4 other albums... actually listened to one the other night :)

Oh btw---- the car....

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