Is there such a thing as a FOREVER DAC/streamer?


I know I might be talking about rehab in a back alley, but here it goes.

I've been looking to upgrade my Hegel H390's internal DAC. But I would only do it to knock it out of the park; as the Hegel's internal DAC does an admirable job. So the question is, is there such a thing as an end game-forever DAC. At the end of the day, DAC is a digital product. Digital technology evolve quicker than analog technology. 

Will that Lumin X1, Bartok, Dave, etc be obsolete in 3 years? Thus making this a moot conversation...

gpixels

Depends on how much longer one lives and how ambitious they are. I've experienced digital sound quality I thought I could live with for the long run, nothing I could complain about and superior to my pretty nice vinyl setup. But curiosity caught me which led to upgrading streamer and better sound yet. Never ceases to amaze how much information contained on relatively low res 16/44. Until we reach a point at which no more information can be obtained from 16/44 they'll be individuals seeking to extract and hear that information.

Future Proof and DAC generally do not go well together. That said people have mentioned DAC's like the PS Audio that via FPGA firmware are upgradeable for a number of years. At some point a manufacturer will need to make something new as they have to keep selling to stay in business. I would make sure to find out the upgrade path and it should allow 5-10 years of quality functionality.

 In my opinion, DAC technology, like computers etc. is a moving target. Pick a time to hop on the train, and look forward to the future. I don’t think there is a “forever” in this area. Now, loudspeakers can be a different story in that many can find their “forever” speakers. I certainly have. Good luck with your search and enjoy the ride!

@fuzztone I would as long as it is modular like Simaudio or even some of the NAD products. The key is isolation and upgrade ability.