How DACs work - White paper

BlueFox
BlueFox Posts: 15,251
edited March 2013 in Going Digital
I came across this while looking into their products. It is a great explanation for those new to standalone DACs, and it also applies to the DAC in a CD player.

http://www.msbtech.com/support/How_DACs_Work.php?Page=supportHome


Now I need to scrounge up $10k and buy their DAC. :smile:
Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits.
Post edited by BlueFox on
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Comments

  • bikerboy
    bikerboy Posts: 1,211
    edited December 2012
    I always get a laugh when people say it's just ones and zeros. Timing(jitter) is something that seems to be an important issue as of late. I think I'll be staying with the Buffalo for now. $10k and its old and out of date the day you buy it. Yikes!
    Main system: Lyngdorf TDAI 2170 w/ Pioneer 42" plazma-> Polk LSiM 703 w/Tivo, Marantz tuner, BRPTT: Nothingham Spacedeck-> Pioneer PL L1000 linear arm-> Soundsmith DL 103R-> SUT->Bottlehead ErosDigital: I3 PC w/ Jriver playing flac -> Sonore Ultrarendu -> Twisted Pair Audio ESS 9028 w/ Mercury IVY Vinyl rips: ESI Juli@24/192-> i3 PC server
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,981
    edited December 2012
    Yeah man, I'm done buying expensive new gear. It gets obsolete within months, sometimes weeks, and then the value sinks like a rock. Higher end audio, aside from a few exceptions, doesn't hold value very well. Buy used at practically half price and save yourself a small fortune.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited December 2012
    Very Cool thank you
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Lost240
    Lost240 Posts: 176
    edited February 2013
    Thanks!
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  • KrazyMofo24
    KrazyMofo24 Posts: 1,210
    edited March 2013
    Nice looking forward to reading this.
    Setup:

    2 Channel: Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand, T+A P 1230R, Primare SPA21, Oppo BDP-105
    PC: Vienna Acoustics Haydn Grand, Cambridge Azure 650A v2 , Peachtree iDAC, Denon DVD-3800BDCI

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  • soundfreak1
    soundfreak1 Posts: 3,414
    edited March 2013
    tonyb wrote: »
    yeah man, i'm done buying expensive new gear. It gets obsolete within months, sometimes weeks, and then the value sinks like a rock. Higher end audio, aside from a few exceptions, doesn't hold value very well. Buy used at practically half price and save yourself a small fortune.

    bingo!
    Main Rig:
    Krell KAV 250a biamped to mid/highs
    Parasound HCA1500A biamped to lows
    Nakamichi EC100 Active xover
    MIT exp 1 ic's
    Perreaux SA33 class A preamp
    AQ kingcobra ic's
    OPPO 83 CDP
    Lehmann audio black cube SE phono pre, Audioquest phono wire (ITA1/1)
    Denon DP-1200 TT. AToc9ML MC cart.
    Monster HTS 3600 power conditioner
    ADS L1590/2 Biamped
    MIT exps2 speaker cable
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  • KrazyMofo24
    KrazyMofo24 Posts: 1,210
    edited March 2013
    DSkip wrote: »
    This is why I'm allocating my 2013 funds to crossover upgrades and not a DAC. I need a good DAC more than anything at this point, but I'm content for the most part with the sound I'm getting out of the Pio. I suspect that in the next 2-3 years, there will be a wealth of USB DAC's available at VERY affordable prices as the market appears to just now be taking off.

    Not a bad idea. You definitely aren't in a desperate need for a DAC with the Pioneer as your source. Not sure if the prices are going to change much in the next two years but I do hope so. There are already plenty of cheap and affordable usb dacs but it would be nice if the higher end ones drop in price.
    Setup:

    2 Channel: Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand, T+A P 1230R, Primare SPA21, Oppo BDP-105
    PC: Vienna Acoustics Haydn Grand, Cambridge Azure 650A v2 , Peachtree iDAC, Denon DVD-3800BDCI

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