When the usb input stopped working on my dac and I learned that the amazon seller that I purchased from was in China and would not help me with a repair, I discovered goldensound's write-up on using a DDC. I had a Bryston DDC and hooked it up to my dac with a Requisite D3r coax cable. As a result, I am not going to get my usb input fixed. Everything sounds a bit better than before, especially on live recordings of classical music. Yet, I have used the Bryston DDC and the Eitr with several other dacs and found them to add a hooded and boring quality to recordings that was not present when listening through the usb input of the dac.
Do I really Need a Digital to Digital Converter?
Over the last few years I have continued to upgrade my digital front end and currently use an Auralic G2 (with upgraded power supply) and a Musician Pegasus R2R DAC. Some of the (mostly Asian) DAC manufacturers also make digital to digital converters (like the Denefrips Iris and Hermes).
So my questions are, if what these DDCs do so important, why aren’t they built into into DACs or Streamers in the first place. Are they only incorporated in higher end digital gear but not gear at the level I am using?. What will adding one of these bring to the table or should I just upgrade my DAC or Streamer to get the same result? Do I really need another piece of gear and another set of cables to clutter up my rack?
Appreciate input from anyone who as direct experience with these DDCs in their audio journey.