Question What would you pay for a decent DAC, and I mean DAC not preamp or headphone amplifier??

I have often looked at the prices of DACs thinking that sometime in the future I may have to buy one.
What would you consider paying for one and what differentiates the cheap from more expensive?
can they really perform so much differently seeing that their main purpose is simply to convert an analogue signal to an analog one?
I was really interested in the latest HiFi Rose RD160 until I saw the price
Is this madness??
 
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podknocker

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If a £40 DAC can resolve any format and send an accurate, noise free waveform to the next circuit, why would anyone need or want to 'upgrade' to something costing nearly £5000?

The DAC in my Omnia is doing what it is required to do and I know it's not the only necessary component in the system. I very much doubt anyone could tell the difference between 2 DACs, with ALL other things being equal.

I think the most expensive DAC chip is around £50 and from AKM. You need so many more chips and parts to turn your data into music.

AKM make so many chips!

 

Cork

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Aug 9, 2023
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... What is to gain from adding an external DAC costing £4700??
My sentiments exactly. Both the OPPO and Yamaha use versions of ESS Sabre DACs, which are decent products. I don't think throwing money at a DAC is going to improve anything in my system. If I weren't so lazy, room treatments would probably get me the biggest bang.
 
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My sentiments exactly. Both the OPPO and Yamaha use versions of ESS Sabre DACs, which are decent products. I don't think throwing money at a DAC is going to improve anything in my system. If I weren't so lazy, room treatments would probably get me the biggest bang.
I guess there are purists that would say if you need room treatment you bought the wrong system but, in modern homes you may have a point. This is something I would be very hard pushed to get past the better half.... :)
 

Gray

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What would I pay?
I have paid under £100 for what I consider to be a very decent DAC.

Some people like R2R DACs for their more 'analogue sound' (their words not mine).

You may have seen this reviewer. I like him - even if he does have a cable believers mindset.
If nothing else, he's heard loads of DACs - and always makes logical value comparisons.
The latest two he's reviewed cost more than I would consider paying - I haven't heard them, but I'd be amazed if I preferred their sound to my Khadas Toneboard in a blind test.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH3L1JOAOaw

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hODejPW2srw
 

Jasonovich

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I have often looked at the prices of DACs thinking that sometime in the future I may have to buy one.
What would you consider paying for one and what differentiates the cheap from more expensive?
can they really perform so much differently seeing that their main purpose is simply to convert an analogue signal to an analog one?
I was really interested in the latest HiFi Rose RD160 until I saw the price
Is this madness??
I'm not sure how much you want to spend AI?
If it's mid range, below are the current flavours. R2R DACs are getting a lot of traction. Check out below. You don't have to go to AliExpress, there are EU and UK distributers as these are popular brands.







 

Jasonovich

Well-known member
What would I pay?
I have paid under £100 for what I consider to be a very decent DAC.

Some people like R2R DACs for their more 'analogue sound' (their words not mine).

You may have seen this reviewer. I like him - even if he does have a cable believers mindset.
If nothing else, he's heard loads of DACs - and always makes logical value comparisons.
The latest two he's reviewed cost more than I would consider paying - I haven't heard them, but I'd be amazed if I preferred their sound to my Khadas Toneboard in a blind test.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH3L1JOAOaw

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hODejPW2srw
The new Gustard R2R DAC is out, is it better than Holo, Denafrips? There's also the new Topping D90III discrete.
 

manicm

Well-known member

You're generalising. I've never heard of this make before, but it doesn't mean other similarly priced DACs will have such distortion.

To answer AI Ears, everything is relative. 5k turntable cartridges are as common as VWs, so a 5k DAC from Hifi Rose should be a steal as it has many more applications.

To respond to another commenter - yes a chip itself may only cost 50 quid, but what is now common knowledge is that's only one part of a DAC component. There's the clock, there's the implementation, custom or otherwise, especially if using FPGA ones, there's the quality of the analogue output stage, there's the power supply etc etc.

Everything can be made to sound better at a price.

Me? I'm going against the zeitgeist where I don't see the need of a standalone DAC.
 

Rodolfo

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Jul 31, 2023
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I have often looked at the prices of DACs thinking that sometime in the future I may have to buy one.
What would you consider paying for one and what differentiates the cheap from more expensive?
can they really perform so much differently seeing that their main purpose is simply to convert an analogue signal to an analog one?
I was really interested in the latest HiFi Rose RD160 until I saw the price
Is this madness??
Yes.

Into my 8th decade, I've never needed a dedicated DAC, and I don't expect to develop a taste for one in the future.

I do own/have already paid for an integrated amp, three CD players, two or three DAPs, and two or three smartphones, each with adequate to excellent built-in DACs that are all designed to convert everything I require very nicely, seamlessly, and automatically.
 
I would not be buying a stand-alone DAC, unless I were to decide to switch to a 2 box solution, to replace my Pathos Converto. With that in mind, I would be prepared to spend a grand plus for a DAC. However, what I have is good enough to make my ears happy and, I suspect the Pathos is good enough to do a good job, of driving better headphones than Focal Elegias.
 

Jasonovich

Well-known member
You could disband the idea of stand-alone DAC, something that doesn't give up too much in the very finest quality. Such as all in one digital transport, DAC streamer.
You can also insert SSD inside the unit or use USB to access your music files.
Check out The Aurelic Altair G1.
Not sure how this compares to the Eversolo DMP-A8.

Big price reduction at Strictly Stereo .


 
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skinnypuppy71

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Hi Al..I never hesitate in recommending NJC audio kit....thier reference series dac is very good...I have all three of thier products and am very happy with all of them....hand built in Devon by a couple of enthusiastic engineers that really provide you with a personal service...re build time and build information. .whenever I do decide to go for a mc cartridge I will be adding the step-up transformer to the njc phono stage, which again is excellent, OK won't be Tom Evans level but keeps me entertained.
 

Revolutions

Well-known member
The Organik dac in my Linn is £3k as a standalone upgrade 😶‍🌫️

It does sound ridiculous, although I’ve only compared it to the WiiM pro plus via my old preamp. So no real idea whether a unit 1/10th of the price would do the same job.
 
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Revolutions

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Just got an email from Sevenoaks about a new Ruark streamer - looks pretty cool, although will have to sound damn good for £1,119 (*edit* changed price as I made a typo). They have matching speakers too that will be competing with some excellent models at the same price point (£699).

 
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Jasonovich

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Just got an email from Sevenoaks about a new Ruark streamer - looks pretty cool, although will have to sound damn good for £1,999. They have matching speakers too that will be competing with some excellent models at the same price point (£699).

The Seven oaks price has shot down to £1,119. That makes it an excellent proposition for anyone looking for a DAC streamer.
I know Ruark for their speakers, my work colleague was going to sell top end model for giveaway price £150 because these were massive and she wanted to replace them with wireless Bose speakers, how awful. I showed my wife the photos of the Ruark and it was a NO 🙃
Nice these famous British brands are branching into other things other than their original product base.
Love the walnut and the dial remote control looks pretty neat. 👍
 
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