Are DAC's overpriced?

mzkmxcv
“No, an increase in dynamic range only results in a lower noise floor. To suggest it has any other benefit (effecting the sound “across the board”) shows that you do not know what dynamic range is on a fundamental level. We are not talking microdynamics here.”

>>>>Dynamic range is a ratio of loudness levels and is independent of noise.

@geoffkait

In terms of music mastering (like the DR Database may score one song a 6 and one song a 12). This is the comparison of RMS vs peak levels (or some variant).

In terms of digital audio as a format, it’s the amount of bits. CD is 16Bit, so, if undithered, it has ~96dB of dynamic range (20*log10(2^16)). Meaning from the loudest sound possible all the way down to the lowest noise possible (due to the noise floor), it is a difference of ~96dB.

If you haven’t, I suggest watching this video by Chris Montgomery.

Sadly so many recordings manage to use only the top few dB of the range. It is called compression...                 
The bane of recorded music.

@elizabeth 
 
Yes, there are many songs I like where the vocalist going from average singing levels to belting results in only a slightly increase in volume.

Chord Dave.  I rest my case for that expensive DACs make a difference.