Question About DACs

@ketchup

Even Schiit states their $100 DAC is their best measuring one; it’s also no coincidence that that’s the first DAC they made after getting an Audio Precision analyzer to actually measure the stuff they are selling.

The fact that George says R2R Multibit is bit-perfect and D/S DACs aren’t is just nonsense.

@headphonedreams 
 

I would not trust measurements very much for dacs, there are very good sounding dacs that don't measure that well and dacs with good measurements that don't seem to sound that well.  

 Measurements are 100% accurate in predicting sound quality in DACs if you listen to them blind. Knowing the brand, looks, price, etc. all influence your perception, high no one is immune to. If I play the same DAC, one costing $300 in a cheap plastic enclosure and the other costing $3000 in a nice metal enclosure, I bet most people here will say the latter sounds better. 

@georgehifi

I know how it works. The fact is I don’t belive there is any R2R DAC under $1000 that can compete with the $250 SMSL SU-8 for instance. And as an example, Soekris dac1421 measurements, if the performance of a $100 DAC for $1000 is was you call bit-perfect, then so be it. Even better: HoloAudio Spring "Kitsuné Tuned Edition" Level 3 D/A processor Measurements, a $2500 R2R DAC with jitter issues, great, as a comparison, a $750 DAC/headphone amp with Bluetooth from Arcam.

@headphonedreams

Let’s say the frequency response is within +/-0.1dB, distortion below -90dBFS, crosstalk better than -90dBFS, no aliasing or images above -90dBFS due to the reconstruction filter, volume linearity within +/-0.5dB down to -120dBFS (20Bit), jitter suppression better than -90dBFS, etc.

I would like one reason as to how it could not be transparent.

If you have heard differences while blind listening, then it was an issue with the test (not double-blind, not level matched, and not quick switching), or it’s simply differences that don’t exist, which could be verified by also doing an ABX.

People just don’t want to hear that their $5000 DAC isn’t audibly better than a $250 one. 
 
How can we hear things that aren’t picked up by measurements? Solid state DACs aren’t like tube amps where the final sound output is based on the interaction between the tube amp and the speakers, a solid state DAC has a fixed output.

@joshfilm

“people don’t want to hear that their $250 DAC isn’t as good as a $5000 one.”

is is an equal if not greater force in this debate.

Not really, measurements of the $250 Topping D50, I would like to know what stops it from being audibly transparent. Please don’t say “lacks breath” or other non-descript terms. The Benchmark DAC3 and Chord Qutest are better, but I would put money on wether one can hear a difference. I have nothing against buying expensive DACs if they perform better and look nicer, just realize even $250 will get the job done just as good as far as our ears are concerned.

@joshfilm 
 
I was at the Florida Audio Expo last week, heard everything from the Vanatoo One Encrores to the KEF Blade 2’s, whatever Wilson model was there, and the Von Schweiker VR-55’s. And from decently priced amps to >100W Class-A monoblocks. The differences are not exponential.

@rlb61 
 
In regards to your inquiry, newer chips are much better. A state of the art DAC from 10yr ago is similar to a $100 DAC from Topping/Schiit/etc.