The sound quality from DACs - is it all the same?

@alphonsodamato Yes, it is now a proven scientific fact, all DACs are exactly the same.

Before making such a strong statement, you have better listen to "all" DACs and present all "scientific facts" to prove "all DACs are exactly the same." Don’t use big words that you do not understand, please.  After doing all that, if you still conclude all DACs are the same.  Great news to you because you do not need to make any investment on external DACs.  Just output the sound from PC to your system BECAUSE all DACs will include the internal dac inside your PC, right by your argument?

I wish that site would change it's name to something other than "science" because it isn't science, it is, at best, quality assurance.

I am not sure who makes that suggestion.  ASR is a forum that emphasizes the measurements much more so than any other forum including Audiogon.  The topics discussed in Audiogon are mostly in merchandizes, experiences using them with some forms of promotions behind from the dealers mingled in the community.  A suggestion from a member affiliated with a non-technical forum to change the name of a technical-oriented forum is a bit ridiculous.  It is kind of insult to the ASR host.  I suggest whomever makes that suggestion reflect on his credential first.

Absolutely not but, if they all sound the same to you, that is a very good news because you could just save yourself tones of money and effort and be content with the most affordable one.  One new audiogoner even said the entry-level Dac is indifferentiable to the built-in PC Dac to his ears.  Then that is a even greater news since no external Dac is needed for him.

But that is definitely not the story here.  When you make transition from the entry-level ($100ish, well-received) Dac to $200ish Dac, and to $500 level Dac, they all sound differently starting from each individual freq. signature, to tonal balance, dynamics, SS width and depth as well as the imaging/separation within the SS.  I have purchased and auditioned a total of 7 Dac up to $500 during the past year after extensive reviews reading and in-home trials for at least 30 days, and finally settled with Schiit Modius and Smsl Do200.  Both of them have the balanced design and they definitely sound their best when connected through XLR cable.  So if you have balanced amp, it is highly recommended you have also purchased the balanced Dac to go with it.  The dynamics provided by the 4 volts or higher output stage is just on the other level.  

@asctim I’m hard pressed to believe that differences in the sound reaching my ear that I can detect are not measurable with a good calibrated microphone and some software.

I really wish all SQ elements are measurable such that, like I mentioned in other topics, a matrix can be established as a basis to more objectively assess the performance of speakers and other gears. But, so far, other than decay, SPL and related vertical/lateral responses, distortion/noise such as SNR or SINAD, etc., what other sound traits have been scientifically measured/reported? The dynamic range can possibly be done easily but was never reported at least to my knowledge. Can the width, depth and height of soundstage be measured accurately in spite we know the SS is created/affected by the delay of sound arriving at ears? How can one measure imaging, separation of intruments, the quality of bass such as speed and weight of bass, etc.?

The sound color created by adding odd/even order of distortions (as shown below for example) also makes a difference too, but that is usually not the difference we discuss here. I always turn these effects off or set it to Standard when auditioning the DACs. Anyway, I can not afford $5k, $20k or $150k DACs referred by rich audiophiles here but I could ensure you that even the entry-level or mid-tier DACs up to $500 can sound differently from each other.

(Smsl Su8 Sound Color SPL)

Can the width, depth and height of soundstage be measured accurately in spite we know the SS is created/affected by the delay of sound arriving at ears? How can one measure imaging, separation of intruments, the quality of bass such as speed and weight of bass, etc.?

I measured these acoustic factors rigorously with a finely tunable and precisely located grid of Helmholtz resonators and diffusers, their placement changed the pressure zones signature of the room, all these devices are precisely mechanically adjustable by hearing experiments like a piano tuner tune progressively a piano in a room and for a room...More than only measuring these acoustic factors i can change them at will in my room...

Please show me/us an example of these measures and how they are related to  the soundstage, imaging, instrument separation, ... discussed here.  Absolutely fascinating if these measures exist.

@rlawry 

Which $360 DAC is?  Thx.