2. digital
  3. 180113-45664

Is there such a thing as a FOREVER DAC/streamer?

I know I might be talking about rehab in a back alley, but here it goes.

I've been looking to upgrade my Hegel H390's internal DAC. But I would only do it to knock it out of the park; as the Hegel's internal DAC does an admirable job. So the question is, is there such a thing as an end game-forever DAC. At the end of the day, DAC is a digital product. Digital technology evolve quicker than analog technology. 

Will that Lumin X1, Bartok, Dave, etc be obsolete in 3 years? Thus making this a moot conversation...

gpixels
cfa88's avatar
cfa88
111 posts
 

+1@jeffreyw

Check out Aries Cerat

 

jfuquay
107 posts
 

My DAC is my most expensive component, a PS Audio Directstream w/ streamer card. And I’m glad because streaming is more and more of my listening. It’s software-based, and they’ve issued a number of updates that are easy to make with just an SD card. But still … now they’re introducing a new version and will stop upgrades to the Directstream. So I suppose there’s no such thing as forever in digital. But I do think this source is so important that I’d still spend what it takes to get a great one.

jerrybj
866 posts
 

@ghdprentice 

At some stage, you're right that components may end being the last upgrade.

I'm working towards that myself. Have speakers, DDC, Dac, streamer, RCAs, power cables, digital cable, speaker cables sorted.

If no chance to upgrade LPS, external clock and amp, I'm fine with what I've got, and fine with the sound. Having been in this game for 46 years, I know I want to upgrade those as well.

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,879 posts
 

Almost every product promising a “future proof “ platform is forced into obsolescence by technology and or OS / Hardware limitations 

When technology is a constantly moving target there is no such thing as being future proof.   

sns
3,256 posts
 

Depends on how much longer one lives and how ambitious they are. I've experienced digital sound quality I thought I could live with for the long run, nothing I could complain about and superior to my pretty nice vinyl setup. But curiosity caught me which led to upgrading streamer and better sound yet. Never ceases to amaze how much information contained on relatively low res 16/44. Until we reach a point at which no more information can be obtained from 16/44 they'll be individuals seeking to extract and hear that information.

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