Are DAC's overpriced?

The smallest information... The slight glistening of the edges of the piano notes.. The flute reverberations around the players, the difference between a common violin and a masterpiece. All those sounds are in the sounds close to the noise floor. The breath of the singer, The aura around some singers voices, When Frank Sinatra turns his head to or away from the microphone.                
ll those little details are in the last little bits... If you think you have no use for them? Maybe you never noticed? Maybe you never noticed because you never bothered to own anything capable of reproducing them? Not my problem... Just saying they are there...  

mzkmxcv289 posts01-06-2019 6:38pm@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.

>>>>The dynamic range is independent of noise. It’s the ratio of two levels of loudness. Loudless level to softest level. Noise has nothing to do with it. Signal to Noise ratio provides the relation (ratio) of signal level to noise level. Dynamic range compression has nothing to do with noise.

Just a little point here - I had a 2900 and it was a well-built unit with a smooth, non-offensive sound.  I hope you find a nice dac you are happy with, but don't automatically assume you will prefer it to what you have.  That's why you really have to try and see for yourself.  Personally, I prefer 1-box units for their simplicity and not having to deal with digital cables, reclockers, whatever.  But I'm a simple guy.  :)

@elizabeth 

Believe we have. Just don't necessarily need a 7k dac for that  :-)

@geoffkait  
 
Again no, it has multiple definitions. 
 
A CD has 96dB of dynamic range available, it does not have a 96dB SNR, that’s a measurement of gear (amplifiers, DACs, etc.).