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Non-Oversampling (NOS) vs,

I am curious. Is a Non-Oversampling (NOS) DAC sound better than a DAC that upsamples the original signal? Or, in other words, is it better to maintain the “original signal” and not add mathematical calculated extra bits?

I also understand that a DAC’s implementation makes a huge different in the resulting sound quality and so does the analog section. I am just trying to better understand a NOS DAC vs one that upsamples.



hgeifman
big_greg
6,623 posts
 
I only have one NOS DAC, a MHDT Labs Orchid.  I'm listening to Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here with it as I type this and it sounds glorious.  Out of the many DACs I have, it's the one I chose for the system I listen to with headphones most office.  It's the least "digital" sounding DAC I have, but very detailed and easy to listen to.  I don't really care about the technical aspects of it, I just love the way this one sounds.
roxy54's avatar
roxy54
7,964 posts
 
I think a good NOS dac does sound better (more natural and lifelike) than an upsampling DAC.
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
@d2girls : Right on! A clever ploy to get the gullible and neurotic to spend more money! 
roxy54's avatar
roxy54
7,964 posts
 
There are many DACs that appear to be over-engineered and overpriced, but having been through about 7, I don't see how it can be argued that they don't play an important role in the sound of a system, just as a turntable and  cartridge do in an analog system.
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