No urge to debate anyone, but in any event, that bit perfect data has to be translated into analog. That's what "DAC" stands for -- "Digital to Analog Converter." My two cents is its the analog section that has the biggest impact on sound. Even on the DAC side, there are differences on the digital side between delta-sigma DACs and multibit/R2R/ladder DACs. And then there is the question of EMF generation and suppression and so on. So, yes, there will always be lots of things to discuss. Your "cousin brother" should just be happy that he has a system that makes him happy. Shouldn't that be everyone's goal?
The sound quality from DACs - is it all the same?
I've been talking to my cousin brother about sound quality. He is a self-proclaimed expert audiophile. He says that Audio Science Review has all of the answers I will need regarding audio products.
In particular, he says an inexpensive DAC from any Chinese company will do better than the expensive stuff. He says fancy audio gear is a waste of money because the data is already bit-perfect. All DAC chips sound the same. Am I being mislead?
He also said that any DAC over $400 is a waste of money. Convincing marketing is at play here, he says.
He currently owns a Topping L30 headphone amplifier and D30 Pro DAC. He uses Sennheiser HD 569 headphones to listen to music. I'm not sure what to think of them. I will report my findings after listening one day! (likely soon, once I get some free time)
- Jack