Do hi-end DACs offer true value or diminishing return...

Well no way I'm spending that much on something that just does ones and zeros so I'm going over to ASR and feel better.  

All dacs sound different like all cable may sound different, all amplifiers too...

But It is related also to their synergy together...

But there is a diminushing return ZONE...Not a point...

This ZONE is determined in his area by the subjective appreciation of your system synergy with the dac and the objective qualities of the dac design in itself...This zone area is a ratio in your OWN audio history ...

The dac technology being mature, it is useless to invest in costly dac instead of investing in a complete new technology IF YOUR DAC IS ALREADY GOOD : try BACCH filters or a new upgrade amplifier or speakers or headphone with the same money ...

But everything that i say dont apply to people with an unlimited budget...My rule dont apply to them... 😊

I spoke about sound quality for the average folk... My basic system is 700 bucks and i cannot fault it on any acoustic count... Is there better system? yes... I dont need them because the ratio S.Q. /price is linked to this diminushing return zone in my own audio journey...My only possible REAL upgrade, not a side upgrade , will be BACCH filters... And my systwem is already so good i can even live with it as it is... Not bad for the price i paid ... And dont think that i may be deaf and not a so refined listener, i tuned my room myself and i can HEAR very well for my age window,,,

Anybody with no budget limit can buy a 500,000 bucks system....Very easy to do...A child can do it if he can sign a check...😁

It does not impress me ... I prefer the game : what is the best at the least price and how do i learned how to create a top system for peanuts ...

I winned at this game...And i know why...

If you never learned basic acoustic you CANNOT know how nor know why...If you did not know how to optimize your system embeddings controls, You can only own a 500,000 bucks system , thats all... Thats dont impress me...

And acoustic experience is not related to price tag at all... Sorry for the dude who own a 500,000 system that sound not so much  better that the price may suggest...

😊

My post is written for normal people with not much money who dream about Hi-FI ...I want to say it is possible at low cost but with studies and some thinking...

Today $700 can be spent wisely to attain a hi-fi bookshelf stereo system. A good example is like:

- Wharfedale Diamond 225, $280

- Smsl Ao200, $223, (50wpc 8Ω, 90wpc 4Ω, 150wpc 2Ω; 2 German Infineon class
D chips)

- Schiit Modius DAC, $230 including shipping

With corrected room acoustic, this combo will render rich tembre (Schiit house sound), decent soundstage and nimble low ends. Around this price range, the increasing return can be substantial imho.

You are right...

But my Sansui alpha coupled to the AKG K340 best any speakers i listened to which are in a living room...

Some vintage are always top of the chain...

No system make me envious...

There is a minimal acoustic treshold about dynamic, transients, timbre, and holographic translation with a varying soundstage according to the recording at play; this minimal treshold WHEN PASSED OVER make any upgrade preposterous... One of the reason i think that dac technology is mature , is related to my basic Hidizs dac, which is for the price more than good; if it was defective in any acoustic factors i will hear it immediately with the Sansui Alpha+K340...Then most people with an already good dac must upgrade anything but their dac....😊

Most people upgrade because there is a problem with some acoustic factors in their system...

Someone who think this is not the case must think about this : when your system is finally optimized, the music experience is so rewarding that thinking about upgrade is preposterous..

By the way the K340 surpass all headphones i ever listen to by far.... All vintage headphones are not equal...And i am pretty sure that among all headphones the K340 is among the best even after 45 years... Acoustic experience do not change ...The technology which make it possible can change , but a natural timbre experience is always a natural timbre experience, and so on for all acoustic aspects...

Today $700 can be spent wisely to attain a hi-fi bookshelf stereo system. A good example is like:

- Wharfedale Diamond 225, $280

- Smsl Ao200, $223, (50wpc 8Ω, 90wpc 4Ω, 150wpc 2Ω; 2 German Infineon class
D chips)

- Schiit Modius DAC, $230 including shipping

With corrected room acoustic, this combo will render rich tembre (Schiit house sound), decent soundstage and nimble low ends. Around this price range, the increasing return can be substantial imho.

Please be advised that not everyone can give credence to the headphone listening system due to various reasons such as hearing health and disconfort of headphone wearing.  I understand the definite advantage of no box and room effect elimination from headphone use but just do not feel comfortable wearing headphone for a long time that I usually spend with music listening. 

The major reason is the impact to the hearing health from headphone wearing (even at the sound pressue level of 60-65 dBA I usually listen with).  My reasoning is that wearing headphone / earbuds causes pressure change in the inner / interior ear.  It sometimes produces whoosing sound / tinnitus due possibly to muscle contraction. This tinnitus can be intermittent but sometimes becomes a constant effect that will bother for a longer term.  I am not sure if that makes sense to you...