2. amps-preamps
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Digital input amp

I see a few coming on market.  Previous threads were quite old.

They take a USB or other input. No DAC on the front end. Just the DSP engine to do volume, eq, etc, then whatever conversion to PCM to feed the class D output. So the only "DAC" is the output stage.   This makes sense as it further reduces the functions in the chain.  I have not seen objective testing or any reliable subjective testing. The ones I have seen are Infineon processer based. No idea if the output filtering or feedback implementation is up to the Purify quality.   I guess the next innovation is the GaNFET output.  One has a DAC to feed a sub out. Easy as any old $5 DAC will wo there. 

I was browsing and came across the Sajab A30a. ( quite inexpensive)  Peachtree has the old Gan-1 but coax PCM only.  That would be fine if it managed buffering and clocks internally. Unfortunately my all-in-one only has USB out. 

I suspect there is a lot to be learned here but it makes sense to me for the future. 

tvrgeek

Showing 2 responses by mlsstl

mlsstl
1,452 posts
 

DAC is the acronym for "digital to analog converter"

Human cannot hear an unconverted digital signal as music.  It must be converted to analog. Therefore, if you are putting a digital signal into a device and getting an analog signal out of it, it must contain a DAC.

mlsstl
1,452 posts
 

This is easily summed up -- take sales and marketing literature with more than a grain of salt.

Example -- cigarette companies once used medical doctors in their ads to promote the health benefits of their brand. Advertising execs will spare nothing, perhaps short of lawsuits and jail, in trying to get you to think their product is advanced and unique.

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