How much does DAC ‘Reality’ cost in 2017?

The challenge for us audiophiles is to find components that match our systems synergy.

Spending more money on one single component doesn't necessarily elevate your system's performance.

There are lots of very good DACs out there. Some ridiculously expensive, some even almost affordable. The trick is to find the one that matches the rest of your system.

gkr7007 > there are sure a lot of low cost DAC units out there right now that really kick…

blindjim > the ongoing caveat for superlatives in this hobby is the inherently subjective content.
Reality can be spun to mean personal preffs, although when a mandolin sounds like a mandolin is playing the room but isn’t visible, I’d say that is reality. Likewise for all the other instruments including voice.

Being able to discern which ‘mandolin’, piano, or guitar is being played… without looking at the album notes or pics, now that thar is true reality. Kind of Twlight Zone reality, but real nonetheless.

I’m very happy settling for knowing what instrument is what , not necessarily ‘which’ piano is being played by brand and model. Sheesh. I’d go crazier. Although it might come in handy with Power ball choices. lol

Yes. You are right thankfully. More less costly over achieving DACs are available today than in past years. There always seems to be a few very high value performers in most categories. It sure helps anyone who is restless or is looking to actually upgrade their outfit rather than to simply swap in and out ‘different’ sounding pieces.

I’m very likely going to move ahead in one of these less costly choices initially.


Soundsrealaudio > My landing point is the Bricasti M1. I have loaded all my CD's on my Melco N1 library/player.

Blidnjim > Congrats!!!
Neutral, quick, transparent speakers is the supposed objective, isn’t it?


Nordicnorm > The challenge for us audiophiles is to find components that match our systems synergy. The trick is to find the one that matches the rest of your system.

Blindjim > I appreciate the thoughtful insights. Thanks much. But let’s agree to disagree philosophically on what actually is synergy and the priority a source device should be held too.

Although one doesn’t ALWAYS find more expensive items have as well commensurate performance, it is usually the case that they do more often than not.

I totally feel and fully believe the ‘source’ is the whole shooting match. Numero uno priority! In my system as per certain preffs and constraints, the digital conversion is it for me. Period and paragraph. No tone arms no more. Possibly tuners and tape decks, maybe.

If a source, or DAC in this instance does not provide every ounce of musical information available, and demonstrate it in a manner which displays a refinement resembling truth and propriety, the downstream result often finds itself less than convincing regardless how great the rest of the arrangement.

Secondly nothing downstream from a source unit, in spite of what it may be, can ever make up for what is not there to begin with, although downstream components are most capable of detracting from the purity of the signal if not managed thoughtfully.

Synergy’ is a result not an approach. It is as well, a subjective appraisal. It might be a consensus of many opinions, yet in all it remains subjectively arrived.

It is why I felt the topic here of ‘reality’ should always be the common denominator for affecting a stereo system.

The term ‘synergy all too often is the result of previous and regular intentioned compensations.
1. that thing is sort of bright, so another less bright thing comes in to compensate somewhere else.
2. This tweeter is too strident it should be run with tubes in the mix.
3. That speaker is too analytical and too detailed so use a PP tube amp on it.
4. Glorious sound extremely lush, but not very honest.
5. Gee, that rig sounds like it has too much of a good thing going on.

Why do any of these things? If… IF… the items we buy are well balanced, high quality devices that deliver the truth in the first place, why then worry later about what goes into the system thereafter?

An all too general note would be it ain’t a perfect world.

An accurate, real, tangible thought could be some things are better made than others. Another tact is some things dictate certain considerations if you want to have them in a system and they usually tell you this tid bit beforehand.
Works best bi amped, or tri amped.
Needs more power.
Wont’ do well in a large room.
Is better suited to ???
Isn’t going to give you that bottom octave.

If reality remains the target all along, how do you ever miss the destination?

Again, if we chose things which demand various considerations, it ain’t their fault its ours, and our duty to placate or attend to those outlined or implied restrictions are duties we foist upon ourselves by making poor decisions.

A huge diff in 2017 is a DAC now must take on more responsibilities than ever before. They aint just here to make CDPs sound better any longer. Much more is being shoveled onto their plates and new tech is saying we need to refine what we are transmitting to these new age DACs as well. Some current DACs attempt to eradicate the need for a preamp completely.

At the end of the day, only one opinion matters and that’s the one paying the cost to be the boss.

@blindjim  This and your other threads are thoughtful journeys and I enjoy reading them as well as the comments from the other posters. It's educational  and adds valuable insights for me.

What I will say next is sincere.

If it's only about one's opinion, which you state "only one opinion matters" ...why go through this exercise?

I submit that opinions do matter, which is why we search them out in this forum and in others as well.

david_ten > If it's only about one's opinion, which you state "only one opinion matters" ...why go through this exercise? …. Opinions do matter and is why we seek them out.

Blindjim > Hi david_ten sorry for the confusion. I believe my statement “… paying the cost to be the boss” is being taken out of contexst. Or at least its intended context, or reference.
The short answer: and I hope I’m not missing your point
You are right. Other people’s appropriate input and opinions do matter.

Here’s my inference… another person’s input, concerns, experiences, etc., are not paying for the device, nor will they suffer either benefit or consequence from my selection.

But, I will. I’ll be paying and living with ‘whatever comes later. Elation or regret. It is my province in the end.

I read or generate threads only because I do not know it all.

I’ve no argument regarding the validity of another’s experiences, product knowledge, or technical expertise which has a specific bareing on a given topic. Indeed very often a good choice follows from gaining more germaine knowledge and outside opinions doing exactly that.

I had never heard of the Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DAC among others, prior to this thread, and now it is a very viable option.

In replying to Nordicnorm I wanted to make the point that ‘synergy’ was a result and not a compromise, or at least should not be a compromise, especially in a source device if at all possible.

Too often we are forced to fit this or that into a system because some component’s sonic attributes can not stand alone and need enhancement or ameiliaration.

My point was or is, that a solid, refined, excellently performing DAC (in this instance) should be ‘synergistic’ in any system. This is of course, If all else in the outfit is on a commensurate level of performance.

To that end, and as reality is the key topic herein, I could not dismiss the fact, far too often reality gets defined by subjectivity and not purely on its actual merits.

Since we are not all able to drop six digit money on our stereo’s we often find ourselves forced to mix in an appliance that is not nearly perfect now and then and as we add more and more less than outstanding things into the array, we do two things. Compensate, and use our best judgement which necessitates a subjective assessment at each interval of adding in or taking out this or that link from a audio rig.

Sadly, due predominately to costs, each of the decisions we make on the devices we buy and what we feel is important in the audio presentation that butters our bread, floats our boat, or simpler put, makes .us happy, is all too often a personal preference fuled by means and not solely based on sonic purity, integrity, and candor of the component itself.

Despite the facts based on the concensus of any thread asking for experiences, it will inevitably come to what a person can afford and the sonic qualities they are trying to maintain or develop.

Consequently, with that ‘subjective’ icon so glaringly affixed to so many audio systems, I said, ‘at the end of the day, the only opinion that matters is the one whose interests are being served for it is ‘they’ you or ‘me’ that will pull the trigger on this one or that one, regardless the instructions, experiences and feedback from other interested parties to the contrary.

50 members could all say get the XYZ DAC!!! 50 more might say get the ABC DAC!!! 40 could say something else. Or it could be a very mixed bag with one or two items, often the less costly ones getting a few more votes amidst a list of other votes for different DACS as is the case here.

So far the few I have on my list have not yet been mentioned by anyone except by me.

Then what does a person do?

IMHO Be completely humbled by the influx of feedback by other members, and remain ever grateful for it, aspiring thereafter to give back in likewise fashion whenever possible.

Yet, as in this instance, ‘I’ll’ do what I feel is best for me and the outfit I want to build, because… I’m paying the cost to be the boss. Lol

Despite this particular decision more opportunities for other concerns will get posted and read, and choices made. Way too often if you look at the threads and the end result, you’ll chuckle about the final selection of the OP in the thread and how it differs so vastly from its generated concensus, if in fact there was one, and the OP follows up.

@blindjim   Well said. And thanks for your clarifications. You always make reading your threads interesting...so much more than the standard thread here and elsewhere.