How much does a DAC do the more expensive it is?
Having spun an Oppo 105 for many years on its own before adding a Schiit Gungnir (bought for a generous steal from a wonderful seller here), I was immediately struck with how much more presence and detail the Schiit added to the Oppo's presentation.
That Gungnir, even new, pales in comparison pricewise with 4 and 5 figure DACs I see for sale here.
So what do those much more expensive DACS do for sound? I mean, how much more information can be dug out of the digital files? Is it akin to what a good phono stage can do for a cartridge?
Cost is only one of many indicators of how good something is. Having said that, like many things in life unless someone is totally screwing you typically get what you pay for. If you can't tell the difference between a $200 or $2,000 or $20,000 DAC then you've either been blessed with poor hearing and won't suffer from upgradeitis or you need to work on the rest of your system so that you can realize what a difference a great source can make. |
@big_greg : Spot on! |
@simao first off, absolutely stunning listening room. Secondly, I feel like some of the focus in this thread around DAC cost isn’t really giving you all the tools that will be helpful to you in discerning different qualities of DACs at different price points, and in determining which of those qualities might be important for you. Here is a link to a recent Audiogon thread that I think does a good job describing these characteristics in higher end DACs that could be applied to DACs at pretty much any price point and could be helpful. There are a lot of comments on the thread, and I might suggest only reading those from the OP for efficiency. Good luck.
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I’m on the same track as the OP. I’ve started my audiophile journey around integrated CD players, and not the expensive ones (Kenwood dP7090, Revox B226) then I moved on to the modern transport + DAC, albeit still at the "budget" level (Audiolab 6000CDT + Gustard A18). It’s around 1000$, a bit more, of digital source, which is nothing nowadays, but with a little care (decoupling, power cords, fuses...) I have a hard time trying to imagine exactly HOW this could ever sound BETTER. Now I’m not a skeptic AT ALL, and I know the high end sounds better in absolute. Although it's hard to put words, sometimes, on the subjective differences. But I go to my friend who has an Accuphase integrated CD player and it doesn’t sound "more analog" or "more like music". I go to audio shows and I hear 6 figures systems, and yeah, ok, it sounds nice (sometimes), but how much of that comes from the 50K digital source? Why am I not more frustrated when I come back home and listen to my budget digital source? What I mean is, system synergy is key, and it’s totally possible IMHO to build a great sounding system around a well chosen and well cared for "budget" digital source. If your feet are tapping and if your eyes are watering and if you get goosebumps, no need to be frustrated: it's not so bad after all. |
