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Digital Improving All the Time?

I hear it here all the time - digital technology is constantly improving…usually being told to someone afraid of buying something that will be obsolete soon. It is true that, with the advent of high-quality Asian products, prices on some excellent digital has come down to the point that one can buy a very nice dac for under 1k and an excellent one for 5k. But I don’t see that the technologies improved over the last 20 years. The Naim 555 and the Vekian and Wadias were astounding products built long ago. Even now, some of the best dacs from Audio Note and Jadis use old chips and the darling ladder dacs are even older technology. Ok, some use the FPGA thing, but that’s basically just a home-rolled chip, which does add a bit more flexibility to the architecture, but that’s about it, IMO. And yes, some companies like DCS and MSB built $100k dacs that I’m sure sound great, but other companies probably could have done the same thing 20 years ago by adding huge power supplies and stuffing them with the most expensive parts and construction quality possible. But they probably didn’t think anyone would buy them. And I’m not talking about streaming and such, because that is relatively young in its development. Streamers may well be improving, but I don’t see dacs as constantly improving, as is so often said. Good day.

chayro
fittebd
101 posts
 

I believe that digital in the past years has grown immensely. The coming of age streaming apps and super high speed internet including in mobile areas has made hi res available to all. Cheap DACs that can do most all. Never heard of 3 years ago.  DSD, DTS, MLP were all around 20 years ago but the dependence on disc sales and cheap ways to spin made them just for a few. And they were we all in 5.1 back then too.  But in surround sound that too was a small market. Having a media room is very common now.  So atmos music is now taking off since all the sound bars (yes many have only that) can handle it. Plus all others AVRs  

but I will still say there is a recent revival in QUALITY 2 channel after the last 15-20 years of overly compressed ear bud revolution. Cheap storage and high bandwidth has changed the landscape along with cheap hardware that can yield decent results for the masses.  
 

I for one love it. 

aewarren
674 posts
 

I've found that the older I get, the worse my streaming gets.

vonhelmholtz
911 posts
 

I have a modest 9.2.2 Klipsch Atmos system in my theater room that makes the soundtracks of my KDrama programming sound great. Lots of great music and much of the lyrics are in English. Janet Suhh, an American singer has found success in this genre.

Funny, when I want to listen to music..off to two channel and a less immersive, but more pleasing 2.2 room.  Digital is the future and multichannel will dominate, but the improvement in technology will help us all.

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,614 posts
 

“And I’m not talking about streaming and such, because that is relatively young in its development.”

This would be incorrect as i have been streaming over 10 years now. I bought my first streamer from Aurender in 2011. The market is now flooded with streamers and servers at all price points. As far as DAC goes, a high quality DAC from 10 years ago is just as relevant today. The newer DAC certainly improved in the areas of noise isolation, jitter, clocks, power supply and chips. And accept higher resolution upto DSD1024. 

audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,220 posts
 

The crystals especially temperature controlled over clocks the precision has just gotton much better, the-regulators too are much lower noise then even 3 years ago .

very low distortion resistors for the R2R ladders has gotton better also 

all these little things add up ,even super caps ,and FPGA units 

forstreaming the new Synergistic Research Ethernet hub truly  brings streaming to a new level much more analog and detailed even compared with say the uptone Audio Ether Regen hub which is great for $640, the Synergistic is retail $2k  my brother owns one and I have had in my system for a weekend ,I am buying one for sure, it truly takes your streaming to a new level ,very noticeable improvement.

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