I’m using a Denafrips Pontus; it’s my first stand-alone DAC. I am certainly happy with the sound it produces, and do believe that it in some respects it seems to produce a slightly different sound than my previous Electrocompaniet CD player, but as a non-engineer, I am interested in learning how DACs might technically be able to do so.
We know how speakers can change/color sound, and how tube amps create distortion that some find pleasing, etc. But taking a digital stream and converting it to analogue? What might be done to alter the bass, treble, soundstage, etc.?
There are people like Alan Shaw, designer of Harbeth speakers, who know a hell of lot more than I do about the science of audio, who claim that there should essentially be no difference in the sound of DACs.