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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 

 

 

jackhifiguy
ghdprentice
6,965 posts
 

@laoman 

 

+1 !

tempest714's avatar
tempest714
29 posts
 

I just upgraded from the DAC listed below to a Gustard x26 Pro. I'm aware the price and build quality are not comparable, but there is a remarkable difference between these two DACs. Some audiophiles would consider this overkill in my system, but it's a completely different level of listening.
Windows 11 / JRiver / USB / SMSL SU-9 DAC / AVA Vision SET 120 power amplifier / Elac Carina speakers

tiofelon
59 posts
 

Hi! I went from  a Benchmark DAC1 USB to a Lampizator Amber DAC. The sonic difference in favor of the Amber Dac was HUGE! Really, everything changed for the best, i.e., more detail, more space between instruments, The soundstage became wider, deeper and more forward the listening position. The bass with the Amber Dac has more impact and goes deeper. I mean the difference is night and day!  

 

Greetings!

rlawry
478 posts
 

I went from the DAC in my laptop to a $168 DAC/AMP to a $99 standalone DAC to a $360 DAC to a $3500 DAC to my current $11,000 DAC.  And yes, there was a significant and easy-to-hear improvement with each step upward in cost, so all is right with the world in that I got what I paid for.  That being said, the cost differences in sonic improvement escalated exponentially.  Or as Stereophile once put it, it was a phenomenon of the ever increasing cost of the ever decreasing difference.

jackhifiguy OP
151 posts
 

@rlawry 

Which $3500 DAC and $11,000 DAC?

would you equate percentage increase like, say, 20% better?

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