What Hifi component should be the first priority?

[Jasonovich]

Here's a thought though, and when I now think about it, I'm surprised disrupters like Denafrips, Laiv etc have not thought about it:

Linn and Technics are serious about turntables and vinyl playback. But more seriously, they both *digitise* vinyl playback through their amplification. And Linn will not turn back in this respect. Their phono stage upgrades also digitise the signal for the Sondeks.

So if DACs are becoming popular, why not include configurable phono stages as well? Obviously they'll need to incorporate ADC.

I think I've hit on an idea 💡! Or am I insane?

Insane is the new normal, welcome to the herd 🙂

Brilliant idea, configurable phono stages on DAC/Streamer seems to be the way forward.
Eversolo's new Play, and the WiiM Ultra have phono stages but I think these are conventional analogue. No one has thought of it yet, it's just a matter of time.

 

[davidf]

Firstly, you've got the added cost of the components of the added phono stage, and the ADC, and it's not necessarily something that the end user is going to want - some people won't buy an amp with a DAC in it because they won't use the DAC. Maybe viable with budget DACs, but anything over £750/1000, I doubt anyone buying DAC would want a phono stage incorporated into it.

And then those with or wanting a decent DAC have likely got a specific phono stage that they've chosen for its characteristics, or will want to do so, so will always want a separate one.

Once you start adding more features to a product to widen its general appeal, that's when you start losing those who chose their systems carefully.