When Will the DAC Singularity Be Reached?

@8th-note , I participated in an informal -formal DAC blind test around 2000. Can't remember all the models, but we could tell differences. It was not easy, but they were there. I had a Lampizator through here for a while, model 7 if I remember, it had a noticeable sound to it. It was not my thing. I have had a Mola Mola Tambaqui in my system which some claim is one of the best DACs made, but both standalone and fed from the Lyngdorf digital output, could I honestly say it sounded better or even different compared to my other DACs? No, and I really wanted to 🤗. I liked the way it looked. Had a PS audio in system for a few weeks too. Was fun to play with the filters. They sounded different. But then it just felt like work so I left it on the basic one, which was the best anyway.  I am now down to some pretty pedestrian DACs, and don't have any regrets. Did the merry-go-round, and found out the grass was not greener, and just varied with the angle of the sun. I think today you could set up a blind test and pick 10 DACs that all sound different, or 10 DACs that sound all the same. For me, there are enough variables without worrying if my DAC is adding something I don't want or not so I go for the latter, ones that all sound the same. Call me boring. I am inclined to explore these filters again. I hear you can accomplish the effect in Roon. Would save me getting up and hitting buttons.

I recently listened to a $69k DAC is a Boulder system and everything sounded glorious! But did the DAC sound $67k better than my Pontus ll?

Well... put your Pontus in that Boulder system, listen to each dac for a week and let us know!

The following are not a secret to work out a how a Product is costed.

The Design for the Circuit and Topology, along with the Parts chosen are one factor used to create a end price for a mainstream audio device or a commission built design.

Add to this the Aesthetic Design, where depending on the styling, the end design can add a substantial increase to the pricing of the audio device.

How the product is packaged for shipping will also add to the costings.

Using a Supply Chain or dealing Direct as a means to reach a Customer is will also have a cost implication to be calculated.

What is not typically identified is the required Mark Up to cover the Companies Overhead, as a break even calculation.

Some Companies have a Policy of Over/Overs, with the latter being a cost included as a Buffer to cover a period of Bad/Slow Business, unfortunately the Loyal Customer or New Customer will be subsidising the Over/Over.

Then there is the Minimum Profit, There is for some Models a price tag is a close match to the above costing combined, and for other Models a Minimum Profit, that far surpasses the combined sum of all the above costings being created.

With a producer who's Marketing Intention being one that is substantially uplifting a Models Value, and then the same Model being available via a Supplier, that is wed to substantially adding monies to generate their Mark Up. It is very easy to see a product quickly find itself as being in the price range of Tens of Thousands. 

I have experienced through one to one conversation the Types of Mark Up a intermediate Supplier/Sole Importer, who has a very small overhead, is very happy to add to a offered product.

I have also had Bespoke Products built, even a DAC and once the Circuitry, Topology and Parts are identified, a Case can be selected.

The budget for the Parts does seem to have a Cap, 'Pardon the Pun'.

The Budget for the Case is without limitation, the end design can be substantial if the monies are wanted to be spent.

Add the time to be charged by the EE-Designer/Builder, and again a reasonable accuracy to a figure can be produced.

The Bespoke way certainly side steps ludicrous Mark Ups for a sale item.        

Better DAC topology, better power supplies, better clocks, better components, better pre and post analog stages and better input types all have a huge impact on what we universally call a DAC. It could be true that all digital to analog converters sound similar (not the same) but that all the other factors mentioned above make up the huge differences in DACs

A digital to audio converter can be a tiny single chip but a DAC is a combination of far too many ancillary variables to be generalized.

And, yes, the price of the DAC - not so much the "converter" makes for better sub-sytems and better sound.

Just get a Technics SU-G700M2 or SU-R1000 and be done with it. 😄

All the best,
Nonoise