DAC improvements slowing down?


24/192 optical in
24/96 USB

It seems like those two figures would be the highest values most supposedly audiophiles need to have capable.

Beyond that how are DACs going to be a game changer? Most sources are regular CDs and streaming audio, no SACD for 99% of us supposedly audiophiles.

I read that people recommend using an external DAC as the technology is constantly improving but have we hit the point of diminishing returns or is there a good argument for using an External DAC still?
dinmax82
I own a Schiit Bifrost - had it over a year now. It is 24/192 across all inputs

They just came out with an upgrade to the USB which blew my socks off - such a huge improvement.

Will things keep getting g better - I believe so if this latest upgrade is anything to go by.

The Gungnir is even better.

What will happen is the cost of the better technology will come down.

Regards
Come to think on it - I guess 30 years ago you could have asked the same about Turntables.

Turntable improvements/upgrades/tweaks are more prevalent now than at any time in the past.

Same thing will probably happen to DAC's.

One can live in hope :-)
Come to think on it - I guess 30 years ago you could have asked the same about Turntables.

Turntable improvements/upgrades/tweaks are more prevalent now than at any time in the past.

I'm not so sure about that... A SME arm, koetsu cart, and an old garrard 301 table would pretty much be a table that can take on many modern top line tables.

The improvement in sound quality will most likely not come from DAC chips. The chips will get smaller and more efficient, but who needs 1024khz/64bit sound, it probably won't happen. The conversion by the chip is pretty set science. However, having said that, improvements will come from the handling of the analog signal and amplification of it after the chip. The old PSU/CAP/linear amp discussion...
Scvan - I see your point, but all I have to do is think back to my first PC with it's 16k of ram and 10 Mbyte hard drive - who could possibly want more than that :-)

Once they get quatum computers on everyone's wrist our view of the "digital audio world" will change dramitically!

Just maybe not in my lifetime :-)

Regards
are recent advances in jitter reduction really an improvement over my old genesis digital lens? (limited to 16/44)?