Chord qutest. Fpga all the way!
AKM makes the best DACs
OK, before you flame a reply to my heading please read this section.
It is a terrible idea to judge a DAC based on the chip. I don't think consumer's should ever do that. I think there is a lot that goes into a good external DAC unit and the converter chip is just one of many factors that go into the final sound.
Having said that, it turns out I tend to like the sound of DACs with AKM chips over most others. A long time ago I would have said the same about Burr Brown.
For converters which use an all in one chip what is the brand you find yourfself more likely to like the sound of vs. not?
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Hi @mwatsme These are some pretty cool designs. I've seen up to 8 channels on a single DAC chip, and all of them run in parallel. The answer is all channels get the same input and the output is averaged. I think I've even seen them run in differential mode. That is, 4 channels do + and 4 do - In all cases the idea is that any manufacturing errors get averaged out. If you not only run in parallel but also differential you get even a better chance of reducing errors due to manufacturing.
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It is true that some of us are giving exposure to a very small and not very well known designer/producer who has provided amazing results at a good price. By now, though, it is the newer users, including former sceptics, who are providing the favorable descriptions. That being said, I have no dog in this fight regarding chips. I agree with the OP (I think) that this whole chip thing is way overblown and the selection of the chip, whether conventional Sigma-Delta or R2R (whether chip or discrete) or FPGA (which is just a chip after all) makes very little difference. That's been shown in our thread and others, and in other places. If we keep our eyes open we'll find great DACs made with all of these. Because in the main, great DACs are made with great power supplies, great clocking devices and great analog stages. |
- 105 posts total