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Differences between models of expensive vs inexpensive DACs

For those who have tried many different DACs from very inexpensive to very expensive, do you find that the lower end DACs all sound similar in the same less than optimal way, or is it that the more expensive DACs all sound more similar in the correct way? In other words, are the better DACs starting to converge on the same good sound, or are they actually diverging more in their sonic presentation?  In recent times I've only worked with relatively inexpensive DACs and those all sound the same to me. 

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Showing 1 response by soix

soix
8,729 posts
 

Thanks for the responses. It seems like there may be convergence among many designs as they reach the performance limits of the DAC chips they're based on.
 

No, there’s much more to a DAC’s ultimate sound than the DAC chip — the power supply and analog output stage just to name two major factors. 
 

Since the early 2000s either cheap DACs have gotten better than my ears, or they've gotten better than the rest of my equipment, or both. 

Yup, in general they have gotten much better, and there are meaningful differences if your system (and ears) is up to it as others have mentioned.

 

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