Can different DACs that measure well affect phase cancelation?

[ShiZo]

If I have two dacs that measure well, can one accentuate subwoofer and speaker phase cancelation compared to the other? I feel like one of my topping dacs had less phase cancelation without inverting my sub compared to my RME ADI 2/4 (only with my 2.1 system obviously). This ended up being a good thing, because I discovered that I had a phase cancelation issue in the first place that I didn't know about. Inverting my sub completely fixed the phase cancelation issue I was experiencing

 

[DVDdoug]

Not if the same DAC goes to both speakers.

 

[ShiZo]

Not if the same DAC goes to both speakers.

Same speakers and subwoofer swapping between the dacs. I was wondering if somehow they can affect subwoofer phase or if they should be exactly the same when it comes to phase behavior

 

[kemmler3D]

they should be exactly the same when it comes to phase behavior

No DAC I know of has phase distortion at low frequencies, they *should* be identical, so if you're measuring a change down there, either the DAC is broken or the problem lies elsewhere in the chain.

It's possible if you are using different outputs for the sub between different DACs one could be wired wrong vs. the main output, but I think that would be quite rare.

 

[ShiZo]

No DAC I know of has phase distortion at low frequencies, they *should* be identical, so if you're measuring a change down there, either the DAC is broken or the problem lies elsewhere in the chain.

It's possible if you are using different outputs for the sub between different DACs one could be wired wrong vs. the main output, but I think that would be quite rare.

not saying it's right, but chat seems to think there could be differences in timing that can mask phase issues

 

[kemmler3D]

not saying it's right, but chat seems to think there could be differences in timing that can mask phase issues

Are you using two DACs at once? The clocks will tend to drift enough to cause big cancellation problems in that case. Otherwise there is no reason to expect that.

Do you mean ChatGPT? When it comes to audio it IMO almost always says something incorrect.

 

[wwenze]

How are you connecting the DACs to the speakers/subwoofer in both cases?

Also try resetting your RME ADI 2/4 to factory settings

 

[DVDdoug]

This ended up being a good thing, because I discovered that I had a phase cancelation issue in the first place that I didn't know about. Inverting my sub completely fixed the phase cancelation issue I was experiencing

It's POSSIBLE that the main speakers or subwoofer have an inverting amplifier. Then they would be out-of-phase with each other. It would be unusual for the amp or speaker in an active sub be be inverting but otherwise there are no "rules". Some amplifiers invert and some don't. But that has nothing to do with the DAC.

The speed-of sound can introduce phase shifts. 80Hz has a wavelength of 14 feet. If the sub is 7 feet farther from your ears than the main speakers (or vice-versa) that's half a wavelength and a 180 degree phase shift, and there will be cancelation (if both speakers are operating at 80Hz).

We may need to know more about your setup...
Normally, the DAC output goes to the crossover and the DAC doesn't "know" if there is a crossover or subwoofer, or anything... And phase shift from the DAC would be the same to the main speakers and the sub and everything would stay in-phase relative to everything else.

The crossover CAN also introduce phase shifts but any properly designed crossover will keep main output and sub output in-phase at the crossover frequency where both the sub and main speakers are operating. Above the crossover frequency only the main speakers are operating and below the crossover frequency only the sub is operating so there can't be any cancelation, even if there are phase shifts.