Analyzing DACs

@mastering92 That is exactly what I said. Open up one of these boxes and look at the poor quality components contained therein. Seriously, how could it be otherwise given the pricing.

As I've said elsewhere, ASR doesn't do science.  They do quality assurance.

The idea of using those measurements alone to determine the pleasure I would derive from listening is ludicrous.  It's like knowing the HP of a car without knowing how it feels driving it.

If you want to know if you would like the sound of a DAC, or would prefer brand X over brand Y you need to listen for yourself.

@tee_dee

First, you will need to decide if you want your system to excel when bench tested, or to sound good. If the former then visit ASR, which does an excellent job of measuring and if the later, throw out sources that take money from the industry and use your ears.

In general, something that cost $1000 out performs something that cost $10, but this isn’t always the case. I recently put together a system from scratch over eight months. I had been heavily into this hobby twenty years ago, but then got married and lost my listening space. Now rectified, I had a 131/2’x24’x10’ dedicated room without anything in the room. So, to start out is the question of money. I started building the system without realizing that realistic musical reproduction requires lots of money. Consider building a digital system and forget the extra musicality of analog. That dream greatly increases expense. Next, visit your local shops with a budget in mind for an integrated amplifier and speakers. Only purchase based on the pairing that you have listened to. Buy the speaker/integrated combination together. Then I found a major internet dealer with a sixty day no questions asked return policy and most importantly, I found a sales person that really knew what he was doing. This step can also be provided with local dealers, but I will say that my purchases from local dealers were at MSRP and those through my internet dealer was greatly discounted. My sales person first concentrated on clean power and proper budget appropriate cables.. I made multiple trades, including returning some equipment and then buying a different component from a forum/dealer/member here who I have found to be absolutely reliable. Lastly, there are at least half a dozen people that post on this forum that have decades of experience and are willing to help you out.

So step number one is to decide if you are going to trust measurements, or your ears. Notice I’m saying trust your ears and not mine.

Well then move along @jasonbourne52 and go sell some insurance.

I'd rather trust ASR's rankings than the subjective blather here.

This thread is getting sidetracked a bit but thought I'd put my 2 cents worth in.

The reliance on measurements is as old as this hobby. Back in the 1960's Julian Hirsch was editor of THE major Hifi magazine at the time, Stereo Review and he was one of the first to promote the concept that measurements are most everything. He was an electrical engineer and that's what they do, they measure things.  

Anyone who has been in the hobby a long time has experienced gear that measured well but didn't sound great.  "Everything that can be measured can be heard but not everything that can be heard can be measured". 

Now back to the OPs post. Different DACs have different output stages and implementations and will mate with different amps for better or worse. In one system I have a DAC that sounds very good direct into the power amp but to my ears sounds improved with a preamp, yet in my second system the same DAC not drive the power amps nearly as well and a preamp was definitely needed. A modern well made preamp will be transparent to the source but can add weight, drive and dynamics to a system.

I assume you have no preamp, just a power amp... and your system sounds good to you, then likely you can get by without a preamp, assuming the new DAC has similar output voltage. The gains you hear with a better DAC should be easy to hear. Then if you wants, buy a decent preamp on the used market and see for yourself, in your own environment, if its' a benefit. It's the only way you will know. If you find it adds nothing, you can easily sell it for what you paid. If you are building a new system, then getting an integrated amp does make sense as was previously posted.