is there a dac in an ipod shuffle?

[professorhat]

The speakers themselves won't be digital for the reasons outlined above. The fact they have a DAC testifies to their analogue requirement.

 

[Andrew Everard]

manicm:Aren't Meridian's speakers considered digital? In any event they have built-in DACs I think.

Indeed, but the fact they have both DACs and amps in them, means the digital signal isn't driving the (very analogue) drive-units directly. Not even if you connect them to an iPod Shuffle.

 

[Red Dragon]

al7478:professorhat:

Red Dragon:mmm, always looking out for innovations...digital speakers...is this a deadend or technically pointless and unecessary idea?!

Well, since a digital speaker would have to be either on or off (i.e. making one type of sound or making no sound), it wouldn't be particularly musical. It could work as an alarm I suppose.

I'm having a blonde moment (think my life might be one long one actually), could you go remedial for me?

Ok, I'll bite on this one....'remedial' ???

 

[Andrew Everard]

Red Dragon:Ok, I'll bite on this one....'remedial' ???

I assume he means someone is needed to put him right.

 

[Red Dragon]

Andrew Everard:

Red Dragon:Ok, I'll bite on this one....'remedial' ???

I assume he means someone is needed to put him right.

I think I'm in the same boat to be honest...I understand that we interpret sound through sound waves in the air which require something like a conventional lodspeaker to move air etc...but what I don't understand is why they (speakkers) need an analogue feed of information...what is the difference between an analogue signal through a cable and a digital one through a cable ?

 

[Anonymous]

Red Dragon:Andrew Everard:

Red Dragon:Ok, I'll bite on this one....'remedial' ???

I assume he means someone is needed to put him right.

I think I'm in the same boat to be honest...I understand that we interpret sound through sound waves in the air which require something like a conventional lodspeaker to move air etc...but what I don't understand is why they (speakkers) need an analogue feed of information...what is the difference between an analogue signal through a cable and a digital one through a cable ?

Why? Because digital signals are the language of computers, in effect just simple switches, on or off.
Lots and lots (millions) of "on or offs" can describe a photo or sound.

But these need interpreting into an analogue form for our eyes or ears to understand.

Try opening a bitmap in text editor, you'll see this.

Sound is inherently analogue, a wave, a movement of the air which in turn moves our ear drums. This phenomenon can be stored and transmitted digitally, but cannot be created in the real world digitally - i.e. in the air around us. (Though I'm sure they are trying)

 

[Alec]

Andrew Everard:

Red Dragon:Ok, I'll bite on this one....'remedial' ???

I assume he means someone is needed to put him right.

Indeed. Thanks for the help folks!

 

[manicm]

Sound waves are not digital? Wow,never knew that.

 

[Anonymous]

manicm:Sound waves are not digital? Wow,never knew that.

/sarcasm off

That explains some of your posts...