Sample rates?

[admin_exported]

How important are sample rates on a DAC? Is the number a good indicator of sound quality? In fact, what exactly are sample rates?

I'm considering an amp with a built in USB-only DAC (it's a musical fidelity A5.5) and i noticed it has 32, 44.1, 48 kHz sample rates. My other option is a different amp with a DACmagic and an optical connection which i see goes up to 96 kHz. Does this mean the DACmagic would be a better performer or does it depend more on the quality of components used?

Cheers

 

[Andrew Everard]

Unless the DAC is able to upsample, the sample rates merely show the signals the DAC can accept and process. The mere ability to accept higher sample rates doesn't mean a DAC will sound better.

 

[PJPro]

CDs provide 44.1 kHz......so you should use that.

 

[Anonymous]

If CD is only 44.1kHz then when would I come accross a 96kHz signal? WHat would a lossless mp3 play at?

 

[Andrew Everard]

milo:If CD is only 44.1kHz then when would I come accross a 96kHz signal?

On some high-resolution recordings such as this.

milo:WHat would a lossless mp3 play at?

44.1kHz.

 

[Thaiman]

sample rate?

So nothing to do with sugar level in your water then?

 

[chebby]

You will also find that the (optical) digital audio output from DVD/Blu-Ray players and recorders are 24 bit / 96khz.

So having a DAC with (at least) 24bit/96khz capability on SPDIF is useful if you want to bypass the cheap analogue audio output stages built in to most DVD player/recorders, and plug straight into a superior external DAC for DVD sound or Freeview radio for instance.

 

[Andrew Everard]

The DVD player output may be capable of 24-bit/96kHz, but very little material is actually available in this format.

And of course stereo DACs can't handle the Dolby Digital/DTS multichannel output from discs.

 

[chebby]

Andrew Everard:
The DVD player output may be capable of 24-bit/96kHz, but very little material is actually available in this format.

And of course stereo DACs can't handle the Dolby Digital/DTS multichannel output from discs.

Thanks.

I was thinking about people who want a higher quality 2 channel option than the L & R RCA phono outputs you find on the back of a DVD player.

Obviously the user would have to toggle the DVD/Blu-Ray player's digital audio settings to PCM (if they are not using Dolby/DTS) before connecting to a DAC. Then the 2 channel audio output from discs is fine.