Analyzing DACs

@jasonbourne52

@laoman

ASR - Very inexpensive DACs, headphone amps, speakers, and even headphones that measure well. Because measurements alone are the bread and butter of these brands...it is the basis of their marketing material and the primary reason why people jump the gun and buy ASR-recommended gear. Let me tell you...it’s a pipe dream...

I have been disappointed my so many of the top-measuring audio electronics featured on that website..! To such an extent that I sold all of them!! From DACs, to headphone amplifiers, to USB C dongles for android smartphones that claim better performance on paper than any high-end stand-alone DAC. You would think that Hollywood studios, Sony Music Studios, and other big players in industry would using or recommending ASR gear by now...

High-end audio and the pro audio/live sound industries should have died off since the inception and frequently-posted publications on ASR - The industry as a whole has not adapted; and there are a multitude of reasons why they haven’t.

Products from those brands (You know who they are) are all "built to a cost" meaning that costs savings was all-important in terms of the quality of internal parts, design/implementation of DAC chips, the use of OP amps rather than discrete or custom types of FETs, poor quality casework that is feather-light and does not damp the internals properly, soldered-on inputs/outputs, vertical-chip capacitors that are computer-grade, rather than audio grade and therefore much cheaper to buy in bulk, the use of axial or radial capacitors rather than snap-in, the lack of ceramic saftey capacitors, no saftey resistors, and even the total absence of sacrificial fuses that blow in the event of a malfunction; to protect the inputs/outputs, reactive load (speakers, headphones), and the circuit itself. I could go on and on... lol

It is so easy to buy the latest DAC chip in bulk, slap it on a PCB, include a cheap crystal oscillator at 10 cents a piece, and have output. Therefore, the measurements are often not the total sum of parts inside the electronics, but the DAC chip at engineering standard itself. And not all DAC chips are created equal. The easier it is to implement/ it can withstand all kinds of substandard parts tolerances and teperature variations/ the worse it will sound. Rather than have all parts when, which measured, do not vary wildly and will compliment eachother to create a high-performace unit.

I understand what Amir is trying to do...he wants to be popular online. If you want the total backstory of ASR and why it exists, send me a message.

DAC, Phono Stages: I suggest you buy from a source that accepts returns. 

As I am new to the hifi hobby, reading various product reviews and noting the details of the test environment have made me very confused.  I understand Stereophile is the hifi bible.

Well, not to me but I rely on their measurements.  I take only my own advice when it comes to sound quality.

In the publication’s DAC published tests the reviewers almost always tested the DAC connected directly to the amplifier. I think I understand why—nothing in the chain influencing the DAC sound. Is that the correct assumption?

Yes, fewer variables involved.  You already have the issues of the reviewer's speakers and room (not to mention advertiser dollar) influencing the experience. A preamp is yet another major variable the reader has to interpolate from.

If that’s the case why incorporate a preamp if the DAC has a preamp section that is a common feature even on high end DACs?

The role of a preamp has changed a lot, making it almost a vestigial component.  Besides switching sources, preamps also provided equalization (i.e. treble, bass, phono) , gain and impedance matching between a variety of sources and amplifiers.

If your needs are simple, with modern solid state amps and no vinyl playback, there's no electronic NEED for a preamp.   The reason you might incorporate a preamp is for the appeal of the sound quality of the preamp.  Nothing wrong with using a juicy and overly sweet preamp if you like the sound quality.

My one time experience with using a DAC as a preamp was that I didn't like the sound quality that much and if statically shocked during winter months the volume would jump to 100%, causing an alarmingly loud output. Instead I've settled on an integrated amplifier, and an outboard DAC.

@mastering92 That is exactly what I said. Open up one of these boxes and look at the poor quality components contained therein. Seriously, how could it be otherwise given the pricing.