2. digital
  3. 1249049553

DACs and reproduced sound

I am trying to understand how to think of DACs effecting reproduced music (I am new to the hobby). I think of a DACs "role" as taking a digital input (1s and 0s) and a cleanly as possible processing that digital signal to an analogue output - goal is not impart anything on the processed data. The difference between a good and bad DAC seems like it should be on how well it does that. Or, said another way, from a review of a Benchmark DAC:

"The old regulars know exactly my position regarding the stupidity of ascribing a “character” to the sound of an utterly neutral signal path. Oohing and aahing over the vast improvement in soundstaging, front-to-back depth, bass delineation, or treble sweetness obtainable with this or that electronic component may sell high-end magazines but is totally unscientific and delusional. What the Benchmark DAC1 HDR adds to or subtracts from its input signal is borderline unmeasurable, so the sonic character of its output is obviously the sonic character of its input. It’s as simple as that. It has no sound of its own."

I sort of think of amplifiers and speakers (I am digital only listener)as being more important in "imparting" a particular musical flavor (warm, bright, etc.).

I am a bit new to the hobby so I would like any insights or be educated on DACs some more.
Ag insider logo xs@2xdangelod

Showing 2 responses by mapman

mapman's avatar
mapman
21,835 posts
 
Yes, the job of the DAC is to take the 1's and 0's which are the digital building blocks needed to construct an analog waveform and construct it.

Its like building with Legos. The bits (1s and 0s) are the lego blocks. The DAC is the device that takes the blocks and does the construction (of the analog waveform needed by the amp and other components downstream).

No two DACs are exactly the same, so each will sound different, some a lot different and some not so much, but different nonetheless.

The waveform building process requires a clock to tell the DAC when the time is right to use the next set of bits/blocks available to construct the next portion of the sound wave. The clock is often provided upstream from the DAC, either by the transport or some other device that can provide the clock. Sometimes, like with upsampling DACS, like the BEnchmark, I believe, the clock needed is on board with the DAC, so the "DAC" box has everything it needs to build a waveform. REgardless, the clock + the bits/blocks plus the DAC, which determines the analog equivalent of each set of bits presented to construct the waveform, are the basics things you need to convert digital signals to analog ones.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,835 posts
 
Dangelod,

I believe that is true in the case of the Benchmark, but is not always the case in that not all DACs reclock data.

Assuming a low end player relative to the BEnchmark, or also perhaps even just a poor connection from the digital source to DAC, the BEnchmark reclocking should result in lower jitter (errors in the timing) and better accuracy and detail.
More to discover