2. digital
  3. 142509-110055

Are DAC's overpriced?

External DAC's are pretty expensive imho... BUT I don't know that much on how to choose one. I want mostly cd's in my small two channel system... I am rebuilding after selling my Logans and Mac amp to go back to "drivers"! The Logans wore me out with Maintenance.  Should I buy a new cd player or get a new DAC for my old player?  
128x128captbeaver
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
2,678 posts
 
"I don’t know much about DAC’s as a component and came here to learn a few things... do I need one with such a simple setup? :)"
No!
gosta's avatar
gosta
202 posts
 
Overpriced I think would be when a company have choosen a price for its dac product so that they will show a smaller profit or eventually loss on that product compared to a better outcome if it was priced lower.

Maybe we should talk soundvalue? This is a hobby of very high diminishing returns (even loss) if you’re not careful.


audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Measurements don't mean dick unless it's properly implemented. That, and you're following folk who admit they can't hear all that well.


+1
Measurements are only one piece of the characterization, but can be useful if they are the right measurements.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Will you hear a difference? Depends on your golden ears. Takes a lot of experience. When some are talking of huge differences, in my opinion, these are subtle for most of us. 


I believe it's more a function of the rest of the system and the acoustic treatments, if any.  I routinely have people tell me they have tin ears and then when they hear the system, they get it immediately.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
And some CD players and transports do sound better than others. Folks call it ’jitter’ but that is just guessing. But maybe good enough.  


It's not guessing.  For transports is IS JITTER and ONLY JITTER.  I don't just call it jitter.  For CD players, it's everything in the DAC, including jitter.  I know this for a fact.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
More to discover