What features and specs do you want in a DAC?

[DLS79]

A lot of the higher end DAC reviews have been contentious of late, so I thought it might be a good idea to to start a thread about what people actually want out of a DAC.


For me it looks something like this.

Inputs

• USB - input form my pc (more than one would be nice)
• Optical - input from the office tv
• Bluetooth - for those occasions when I want to listen to something on my phone or tablet.
• Coax - just incase i ever need it

Outputs

• unbalanced RCA
• balanced XLR
• Bluetooth - for when I need to use Bluetooth iems or headphones because i can't be tethered to my desk

Features

• PEQ - the ability to save more presets than I should ever need, and enough bands per preset to not be limiting
• support for different output voltages
• a preamp mode that allows me to change the output levels
• the ability to have multiple input and output pairs in use at the same time. By that I mean something like optical in to BT out and USB in to XLR out at the same time, without loosing the ability to apply PEQ to the output, or adjust its level.
• the ability to route multiple inputs to one output. The ability to adjust the levels of each input before they are mixed, without loosing the ability to apply PEQ to the output, or adjust its level.
• 12v trigger in and out
• internal psu
• A nice large screen that shows the current settings. being able to control brightness would be nice as well.
• a none generic BT controller
• a nice app for setting up PEQ and saving presets.
• audibly transparent - hopefully that is an obvious requirement

 

[IAtaman]

Looks like a good list to me. I can live without some of the requirements, e.g. the large screen, BT in etc. but I suppose their inclusion increases the target market.

How about something a bit fancier: automatically detect the output device connected (by measuring their impedance curves?) and switch to the correct EQ settings - that would be very useful, wouldn't it.

 

[JSmith]

Also agree with the majority of the list... maybe something missing is decent/high quality parts, good build quality.


JSmith

 

[DLS79]

Looks like a good list to me. I can live without some of the requirements, e.g. the large screen, BT in etc. but I suppose their inclusion increases the target market.

The large screen is mainly so you can see what is going on.

Imo, If you are using multiple inputs and outputs at the same time, mixing inputs, or using a PEQ preset, it would be nice to be able to see all that information without having to dig through menus or break out a magnifying glass.

 

[rolfrander]

I have a very simple request: separate buttons for each input. Rotating through inputs with one button is both difficult to use, and impossible to program on a universal remote.

 

[anotherhobby]

• the ability to route multiple inputs to one output. The ability to adjust the levels of each input before they are mixed, without loosing the ability to apply PEQ to the output, or adjust its level.

This is a really interesting call out because I almost never see this mentioned and it's a big desire of my own.

The primary use case for me is computer audio getting mixed with an external streamer's audio. I made this work using a pi4, some optical input/output adapters, and some creative pulse audio config when I was messing with Roon (feeding into my miniDSP Flex). However, I passed on Roon and then tore down the audio merging solution, but have been thinking of setting it back up to use Tidal Connect with a WiiM pro to offload Tidal processing from my Mac.

 

[pablolie]

....

Inputs

• USB - input form my pc (more than one would be nice)
• Optical - input from the office tv
• Bluetooth - for those occasions when I want to listen to something on my phone or tablet.
• Coax - just in case i ever need it

Good topic! I'd add HDMI/Arc just in case.

Outputs

• unbalanced RCA
• balanced XLR
• Bluetooth - for when I need to use Bluetooth iems or headphones because i can't be tethered to my desk

A stereo sub output! A mandatory feature for me if I am to contemplate a sub purchase going forward. And configurable cutoff frequency from 40-200Hz or so.

Features

• PEQ - the ability to save more presets than I should ever need, and enough bands per preset to not be limiting
• support for different output voltages
• a preamp mode that allows me to change the output levels

Yeay to preamp! DACs should be preamps these days.

• the ability to have multiple input and output pairs in use at the same time. By that I mean something like optical in to BT out and USB in to XLR out at the same time, without loosing the ability to apply PEQ to the output, or adjust its level.
• the ability to route multiple inputs to one output. The ability to adjust the levels of each input before they are mixed, without loosing the ability to apply PEQ to the output, or adjust its level.
• 12v trigger in and out
• internal psu
• A nice large screen that shows the current settings. being able to control brightness would be nice as well.
• a none generic BT controller
• a nice app for setting up PEQ and saving presets.
• audibly transparent - hopefully that is an obvious requirement

I'd add Dirac to the feature mix, ideally. Support for the usual online services would be nice but not mandatory.

 

[EdW]

I’d add a balance control for maximum versatility when driving power amps directly from the DAC. The later Topping D90 series SE/LE/Sabre include this feature

 

[DLS79]

This is a really interesting call out because I almost never see this mentioned and it's a big desire of my own.

The primary use case for me is computer audio getting mixed with an external streamer's audio.

It's very similar for me. I work from home part of every day, and I usually have the news, or and old movie playing as background noise. However I need to be able clearly hear work email and chat notifications!

 

[jooc]

I want a multicolored screen to continually show a running SINAD/$ ratio

 

[Count Arthur]

An RME-ADI-2 DAC FS with a balanced headphone output and 5 or 10 more EQ bands.

ADI-2-DAC FS - RME Audio Interfaces | Format Converters | Preamps | Network Audio & MADI Solutions

RME Audio Professional Live, Studio, Recording and Broadcast Solutions. Unrivalled Quality, Performance & Stability MADI Interfaces, Converters & Preamps.

www.rme-audio.de

 

[pablolie]

An RME-ADI-2 DAC FS with a balanced headphone output and 5 or 10 more EQ bands.

ADI-2-DAC FS - RME Audio Interfaces | Format Converters | Preamps | Network Audio & MADI Solutions

RME Audio Professional Live, Studio, Recording and Broadcast Solutions. Unrivalled Quality, Performance & Stability MADI Interfaces, Converters & Preamps.

www.rme-audio.de

Oh yes, a good integrated headphone amp is a must to me, too.

 

[DLS79]

Oh yes, a good integrated headphone amp is a must to me, too.

For me, I'd rather that be part of a good headphone amp, that either has a passthrough mode, or enough power to drive reasonably sized speakers

 

[Mnyb]

The DAC itself is a commodity that should exist inside what we really want a fully featured digital preamp with built in headphone amp and streamer .

Add ARC as described and streaming compatibility with LMS and roon and... whatever

Several analog inputs and phono input mutliple Toslink and coax inputs two USB inputs .

room correction ( dirac or other ) PEQ and crossover to multiple subs .

Balanced and single ended outputs on but subs and L/R

As an add to the PEQ ( who has endless saved presets ) simple tone and balance and mono controls and variable crossfeed .
And a calibrated loudness control ( as offered by RME ).

The other product in the line-up could be a HT pre/pro that actually has performance ( so that the stereo listener does not have to pay for 16 channels and expensive format licensing just to get room eq and sub xover ).

 

[Karmacoma]

All of the above +
A cool spectrum analyzer that i could switch off if needed.

 

[Svet Angelov]

moreinputsmoreinputsmoreinputsmoreinputsmoreinputsmoreinputs

 

[oleg87]

Flexible routing with lots of I/O, extensive DSP suite (hell, let people develop and upload their own DSP filters for the thing), useful visualizations (again, could provide an SDK to users), a quality headphone amp, audible transparency.

 

[Anton D]

I want SACD and the ability to access the DSD256 content.

(I admit to still liking physical media.)

 

[Count Arthur]

I want SACD and the ability to access the DSD256 content.

(I admit to still liking physical media.)

That's not a DAC then.

 

[DLS79]

The DAC itself is a commodity that should exist inside what we really want a fully featured digital preamp with built in headphone amp and streamer .

Add ARC as described and streaming compatibility with LMS and roon and... whatever

Several analog inputs and phono input mutliple Toslink and coax inputs two USB inputs .

room correction ( dirac or other ) PEQ and crossover to multiple subs .

Balanced and single ended outputs on but subs and L/R

As an add to the PEQ ( who has endless saved presets ) simple tone and balance and mono controls and variable crossfeed .
And a calibrated loudness control ( as offered by RME ).

The other product in the line-up could be a HT pre/pro that actually has performance ( so that the stereo listener does not have to pay for 16 channels and expensive format licensing just to get room eq and sub xover ).

At what point to do we cross over the line between a dac and mixing board/computer?

It's just my opinion, but I think a DAC should just be responsible for taking digital inputs, adjusting them (PEQ, DSP, etc ) as needed, before outputting them as analog signals. In other words all the digital devises (streamers, cd players, phones, tablets, pcs, tvs, etc) feed a digital signal into the DAC. The DAC then out puts the analog signal to a headphone amp or amp.