It’s all important, but from what I’ve heard from other hi-fi enthusiasts much more knowledgeable than I (and judging with my own ears, which may not be as keen as others’) it is the quality of the power supply and the type and quality of the output stage that make the most noticeable difference in a DAC’s sonic character, given that the clocking and conversion are above a certain standard of performance. Again, I’m sure others will disagree, but that’s been my experience.
DAC general question
As I understand it the actual DA function is done by a single chip. If true do all these DAC makers use custom chips or are there limited manufacturers of the chips? If so then the goodness or badness of a DAC is dependent on the circuitry around the chip.
Am I wrong?
Am I wrong?