Can you mix different stereo DACs in a setup?

[digitalfrost]

Assuming you have a multi-channel setup, or semi-active or fully-active stereo speakers, all with separate components:

Can you simultaneously use multiple different stereo DACs?

I'm thinking different time-delays in the DA conversion could be an important factor. Especiallly if you run a single speaker through multiple stereo DACs, you'd want the samples to be exactly time aligned. But how would I know the delay of DAC, if there was one?

In Bob Katz excellent 'Mastering Audio' book, he has a picture of this 5.1 setup:

Do these DACs have to be indentical or could you use different hardware? Please explain the whys and hows if you know.

 

[FrantzM]

I asked that question here. Issues of synch are probable... Better find multi-DACs that support one clock such as the miniDSP 4 x 10 HD or one of those Pro multiDAC from FocusRite, Behringer, etc ...

My personal wet dream is the OktoReseach DAC 8 ... One of the best performing DAC tested by Amir ...

 

[solderdude]

I would use the same DACs.
Not all DACs have the exact same latency which one will never notice but in this case it matters.
Thos depends on the amount of data buffering (in case of USB) and how long the filtertaps are as well as other needed processing before the bit-words are sent to the DAC chip.
In studios this is solved by adding a masterclock which lets all DAC's clock out datawords at the exact same moment.

So, when you have different DACs get it to work and see how it sounds (maybe timing differences are very short between those DACs).

 

[beefkabob]

If you do all the processing before the DACs, I bet you'll be fine. I'd expect the difference in timing to be incredibly small.

 

[somebodyelse]

It depends on the digital connection. Something like the u-dio8 with multiple spdif outputs clocked from the same source will remain in sync. Assuming different DACs have repeatable delay at a given sample rate you should be able to compensate with delays in the convolver. Multiple USB devices will drift out of sync if they don't have a master clock to tie them together.