admin_exported

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Aug 10, 2019
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As I understand it: when music is added to a source as MP3s the compression etc. is complete and final. I read that if played through a DAC the item is analogue and sounds as original. I believed the item could not be re- 'constituted' to a better 'sound. Am I missing something and if my assumption is right, what is the point of a DAC ? TIA
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Your initial understanding is correct that once a CD or other original recording has been compressed to an mp3 the data that was discarded in the process is indeed lost and cannot be 'reconstituted'.

I'm speculating here, as I don't know what you've read in order to make you ask this question, but perhaps what the article you read was trying to get at was that using an external DAC will give a better sound than using the DAC inbuilt to all mp3 players?

DACs are everywhere (in various different forms) and essential in playing digital music. The DAC's function, as you'd expect from it's name is as a Digital to Analogue Converter. It converts the digital data (whether that be a CD, mp3, Apple Lossless etc) into an analogue signal which can then be amplified and sent to the speakers. A DAC is inbuilt into any mp3 player and most CD players. However, as is the case with other hifi components (like seperating the amplification function into 'pre' and 'power' amps) it is also possible to utilise a seperate DAC, such as the DacMagik, which is a standalone DAC. It's widely believed that if you want to play your iPod (other mp3 players are available) through your hifi then an improvement in the sound can be achieved by bypassing the inbuilt DAC of the iPod and connecting it to a seperate one before going through the amplification process.

I hope this explains things for you.
 

Fenton Beasley

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Dec 4, 2008
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powerful:
As I understand it: when music is added to a source as MP3s the compression etc. is complete and final. I read that if played through a DAC the item is analogue and sounds as original. I believed the item could not be re- 'constituted' to a better 'sound. Am I missing something and if my assumption is right, what is the point of a DAC ? TIA

I think the point of an external DAC is to not play mp3 files with, but to play FLAC or other 'lossless' computer files instead
 

professorhat

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2007
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Not really - as Castroman pointed out, a DAC is a Digital to Analogue Converter, so you have to have a DAC somewhere to play digital MP3 files.

Some might say it isn't worth buying an expensive external DAC to playback MP3 files and they might have a point, but I would have thought the likes of the budget external DACs (such as the Beresford and the CA DacMagic) could well improve some digital sources. It all really depends what setup you have - there a lot of variables to take into account.
 
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Anonymous

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Thanks guys. Leave as is then. Minimal gain in buying a DAC it seems.
 

method man

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May 18, 2009
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I can only go by my own setup. which is the avi 9.1 speakers which have a built in DAC .

How good or bad they are for the money is anyones personal opinion. but what i belive would be obvious to anyone on a quick listen is that the bitrate of an MP3 is a much lesser concern than the actual quality of the original recording that it is ripped from. a 128 / 320 and a flac. all sound fantastic on a well mastered track from a particular artist. now get the same track but from another CD. (best of, anthology.. etc) and it might sound rubbish. i have spent the last 2 weeks hunting down the best recordings I can, NOT the highest bitrates.

so i am guessing from this that a good external DAC in the right system can really make mp3s sing. previously i had heard a lot of thses only from burning the mps to an audio cd or using an ipod. and in that case I thought the bitrate made some difference. But not so much anymore.
 

chebby

Well-known member
Jun 2, 2008
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Fenton Beasley:
I think the point of an external DAC is to not play mp3 files with, but to play FLAC or other 'lossless' computer files instead

I wasn't at the meeting where that rule got decided
emotion-4.gif


(I think Naim developers missed the meeting too when developing their naimuniti to play CDs, internet radio, MP3, iPods, Lossless formats, wireless etc at all different bitrates and levels of compression.)

I am having great fun playing Freeview radio, internet radio, BBC iPlayer, iTunes (everything from lossless to 256k AAC+ downloads), youtube and DVD sound through my external DAC. Others on the forum report excellent results with Spotify through their external DACs.

I was also not at the meeting that decided people most only play either (a) CDs through a CD player or (b) Lossless files through a DAC but never both.
 

method man

New member
May 18, 2009
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hi chebby. also my missus is 'aving it large' with the music channels on sky+. i reported earlier that she didnt seem to interested in sitting and listening. but shes is loving watching music videos from the optical out of the sky+ to the DAC in the speakers. Its one way of getting her interested. I have no idea of the Bitrate. and , this is the kicker, whilst sound varies slightly from channel to channel, once again, the quality of the track has the biggest variance. in general older videos sounding crappier. unless it a proper artist and not just pop.

They can do nothing with Girls Aloud im afraid tho dear.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Castroman:
It's widely believed that if you want to play your iPod (other mp3 players are available) through your hifi then an improvement in the sound can be achieved by bypassing the inbuilt DAC of the iPod and connecting it to a seperate one before going through the amplification process.

I hope this explains things for you.

You are presumably still using the decoder within the player to convert the mp3 file to a data stream? I take it most, if any, DAC's will not take an mp3 file direct?
 

jc.com

New member
Jun 8, 2009
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method man:

They can do nothing with Girls Aloud im afraid tho dear.

Why can I never find a crude innuendo when I need one?
 

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