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Can a dac really be future proof?

I’m talking via firmware/ software updates. I do get that some integrated amps ( McIntosh, etc) allows you to swap out the entire dac unit/card or whatever. 
I do get having firmware updates to improve stability, etc while the dac is fairly new. Or even let a new format “ kick in” due to final prep ( example MQA). 
How far can firmware - software upgrades carry you as dac chips and other hardware items improve? I can’t see a dac from 5 years ago with older generations of dac chips performing on par with the latest and greatest. Of course, I assume one’s listening taste is consistent for a particular chip/component. One may actually prefer the sound of an older dac over new one. Outside of that, how many years can software upgrades carry a Dac?

aberyclark
jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
are any of us future proof?

only things that are future proof are 7-eleven straws and plastic drink bottles
melvinjames
416 posts
 
Really future proof? As in SW only upgrades without a hardware upgrade? I don't see how future proof is possible in that light.   SW upgrades will keep obsolescence at bay but Hardware moves on every year.   So you spring big bucks for a 24 bit, 196 KHz DAC, there is no software upgrade going to covert that to a 32 bit, 384 KHz DAC.  

This. My experience includes DACs from both Schiit and Chord. I purchased the 1st gen Bifrost and had it upgraded twice (analog board and multibit). The next gen Bifrost2 was completely re-engineered making an upgrade from the 1st gen impossible. So much for future-proof. The Chord DAC started out as the Qute HD and was upgraded to EX when it became available, thinking I'd future-proofed a bit. 3 months later Chord released their brand spanking new version, the completely re-engineered Qutest. In particular, they overhauled the USB implementation (which they needed to do). In the meantime they stopped development of the HD/EX USB driver, which in a very short time rendered the USB connection to my Mac mini useless. Mind you, both DACs still work but the only upgrade path for either is to purchase new. BTW, the Chord experience was particularly painful. 

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,985 posts
 
At least with the NAD M51 DAC they supported it as far as the architecture allowed, and thats fine by me.  They added features too, so you really can't ask for much more.  

One thing about the RME, its roots are in pro audio so the software side is much more solid than boutique DAC  brands.  Because all of their units are play/record , they use the same software and it has been debugged and refined.... it works perfectly.   
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