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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
hilde45's avatar
hilde45
5,052 posts
 
Good video which discusses Dacs here: https://youtu.be/8BMRleOuDUk?t=653

Back up a bit in the video to hear more detailed discussion of the technology.
djones51
4,947 posts
 
At the moment digital is as close to perfect as it gets. It is miles...years..ahead of vinyl. DACs will get better numbers as engineers are always trying to go one more step, they will get more features but as far as the DAC chip they have been future proof for home audio for years. The RME mentioned above has a chip from about 4 years ago they didn’t bother with the latest version. Surrounding technology will improve, USB, analog stages etc.. but higher SINAD only matters when something is audible.
soix
9,776 posts
 
At the moment digital is as close to perfect as it gets. It is miles...years..ahead of vinyl.
Yeah that’s what they said 35 years ago, and it’s probably as much true now as it was back then.
djones51
4,947 posts
 
It was true then and it is now. You may prefer vinyl but digital is more exact at storage and playback. At any rate this thread is about DACs and digital. 
big_greg
6,670 posts
 
DACs will get better numbers
Do you listen to numbers?

On topic, there’s always the next best thing that’s so much better than the thing before. We’ve seen that a lot with different types of sound encoding and movies and TV displays. With audio though, how much more can the human ear actually hear beyond the high-res formats that are already available?

If it sounds good now, why wouldn't it sound good 10 years from now?
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