When Will the DAC Singularity Be Reached?
A humorous title, but wondering if those more in the know have an opinion on either: i) examples today where inexpensive DACs (say under $2500) are comparable or superior to expensive (say over $10K) DACs or ii) can we anticipate that within a relatively few number of years that inexpensive DACs will basically achieve the sound quality of today's expensive DACs? Thanks.
If everyone actually enjoys music (which I truly hope), isn't that all that matters? I love LIVE music, Spotify through my Blowz NC headphones on the plane, Spotify @ work on my crappy laptop and Qobuz on my budget (to most) systems at home. It has always been an important part of my life and many memories are marked with music...or vice-versa. The music is the point - not trying to figure out if that $10K DAC is 4 times better than a $2.5K DAC. :-) |
+1 @mbmi |
I kind of view sound “differences” in dacs like flavors in foods. Ingredients can be the same but can taste differently based on how they are prepared. Also, everyone tastes that same food differently. Hearing is the same way. Science does not have a full understanding of why one sound is pleasurable to one person but unbearable to another. Find the dac that suites your ear. Hopefully it will be a cheaper on. Probably not though. |
If you can’t measure it it doesn’t exist according to the ASR crew. I asked a question there once and was surprised by the quick attack to legitimate questions. I was new and apparently asked a question regarding measurements and how we hear things differently. I got the measurement comment above. So I guess none of them there believe in a god! Anyway, I’m 3 dacs in and all 3 sounded noticeably different. I’m not sure what the controversy could possibly be. |
