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Are DAC's overpriced?

External DAC's are pretty expensive imho... BUT I don't know that much on how to choose one. I want mostly cd's in my small two channel system... I am rebuilding after selling my Logans and Mac amp to go back to "drivers"! The Logans wore me out with Maintenance.  Should I buy a new cd player or get a new DAC for my old player?  
128x128captbeaver
mzkmxcv
777 posts
 
@audioengr

The Oppo 203 uses AKM 4458’s , should people avoid that? As you said, implementation is everything, which is why the Benchmark DAC3 using the ESS 9018 still outclasses cheeped products using the better 9038 (of course this is measurement wise, they audibly won’t be too different).
mrmanisundaram
82 posts
 
Under $500, buy a schiit bifost multibit.
Under 2 k, buy a Chord  2qute or Qutest.
It will make a difference, how much is up to ur ears......it is relative.
Good luck.
helomech
1,706 posts
 
Not that you need to spend a fortune to achieve this. On the contrary, if you are smart and selective and take advice from the RIGHT people, you can get there on a budget. I think for an entire system, the threshold is probably $20K-$30K. Anything below that will tend to be mid-fi with 2-D presentation between the speakers IME.
Biggest load of nonsense.
jag's avatar
jag
98 posts
 
i am still using a NAD D1050 which is now 5 years old. you can get these for about $450 and they sound terrific. the NAD will not playback MQA or DSD, but it will playback 24/192 and 16/44.1 on good Classical recordings can be spell binding. most POP recordings can not compete with a good Classical recording. but their are exceptions. have not heard anything much better in the last 5 years. if NAD had thought they could have produced something better in the intervening years considering their huge R&D budget i am sure they would have by now.  the golden age of digital is over.
jerrybj
867 posts
 
"I think for an entire system, the threshold is probably $20K-$30K."
Steve N. Empirical Audio

  • The statement above is not true. Sure that a $20-$30,000 system could be very good. Not all have that kind of budget.
  • My system (which is sounding great), cost $8000. The DAC was new, but all other pieces were second hand.

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