How much does a DAC do the more expensive it is?


Having spun an Oppo 105 for many years on its own before adding a Schiit Gungnir (bought for a generous steal from a wonderful seller here), I was immediately struck with how much more presence and detail the Schiit added to the Oppo's presentation. 

That Gungnir, even new, pales in comparison pricewise with 4 and 5 figure DACs I see for sale here.

So what do those much more expensive DACS do for sound? I mean, how much more information can be dug out of the digital files? Is it akin to what a good phono stage can do for a cartridge?

128x128simao

Showing 1 response by designsfx

@simao 

Along the lines of what @jl35 states- I used an Oppo for spinning disks a few years ago as well, it eventually wore me down. I can put up with it for a short period of time then I have to turn it off.

As for DAC’s- while there are differences in the levels of performance and quality (generally) with the more you spend I don’t believe the improvements follow the same scale once you pass a certain point (diminishing returns). Only you can justify the value of the expense once you’ve experienced the difference.

When it comes to moving on from the Oppo you could move in the direction of a device that rips your CD’s to internal storage and streams Tidal/Qobuz content. The Innuos Zen MK3 or Aurender ACS-100 are a great place to start and I believe both  of these sell for under $4k new. You can frequently find these on the used market as well. Happy Hunting!