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Best practices when conducting a DAC comparison

Reaching out for general advice on how Agoners have compared DACs in their own systems.....

....and how you have determined the 'better' or the 'preferred' component, based on your comparison.

This will be my first in-depth comparison.

Feel free to mention whatever you believe will help and stuff I may need to look out for / be aware of.

Thank You.
david_ten
david_ten OP
5,480 posts
 
@georgehifi   Is there a 'cheater' way to get close enough? : )

I can do so, if you and others believe it is critically important.
david_ten OP
5,480 posts
 
@rbstehno   I have a long history of audio bricks as doorstops. : )

It would have been nice to have. In the end it wasn't a deal breaker for me.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
@georgehifi Is there a ’cheater’ way to get close enough? : )

No.
If you do it by ear, you could be as much as 3db out on level matching.
Cheers George
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
@david_ten 

As I mentioned in my 11-06-2017 1:17pm post, "I ensured the volume control on my amp never changed". So while I do not disagree with George, it could be a moot point and you may want to forgo the hassle of precise level matching. Why, because the difference among the DACs may (and likely should or will) be audible from a tonality, dimensionality, or other characteristic that can be readily detected irrespective of level matching. Personally I'd "worry" about precise level matching only when and if you're at the stage when all else is equal. 
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
"I ensured the volume control on my amp never changed"
  it could be a moot point and you may want to forgo the hassle of precise level matching.
All dacs have different analogue outputs levels even if it's by a 1/10th of a volt, how can anyone compare dacs sound, if the levels are not matched, even a minute increase in level will favour that dac in an A/B comparision.

Cheers George  
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