What kind of DAC product would excite you again?

[Apesbrain]

Anything with native Squeezebox support. C'mon, WiiM!

 

[Killingbeans]

If you see it as a tool for converting audio signals from digital to analog world, then I don't think there will be a DAC that can excite anyone again.

True. I'd rather see the function be handed over to the amplifiers. Active speakers with economic, highly efficient ampliverter DACs with enough reliability to last several generations and super easy to repair. That would be the dream.

Of course that wouldn't leave much room for the hobby aspects. A bit of a bitter sweet dream

 

[ThatGuyYouKnow]

Isn't a USB Switch selector solve that problem?

If a suitable switch was made, that would do just as well. There are variables involved, such as UAC, that make a generic USB switch unsuitable for some devices.

 

[FINFET]

No, DAС ICes from these manufacturers are not a "DAC concept", they are the true DACs.
If you mean a "standalone DAC box" as a "DAC product", then it's just a very niche product.
It's good that such a product exists, because many people have far from new but favorite audio systems, and a standalone DAC allows to add an additional digital source to them.
But in new systems there will be no such a standalone device at all because it is meaningless from the point of view of quality, because the DAC integrated into the amplifier is better than the external DAC (no additional analog wires and sockets).
Just think of this amplifier as a "digital input amplifier".

There is no future for "standalone DAC in a box" at all, it is temporary (and niche) device somewhat similar to CD player.

The discussion is more of a casual forum thread so let's keep it relaxed regarding classification. It's similar to how conversations about CD players contain both CD transports and CD players with built-in DACs that directly support headphones or speakers. Feel free to chat about "just-a-dac" boxes or any kinds of boxes in the audio playback chain that primarily converts digital signals but also incorporates other necessary functions as a combo.

 

[IAtaman]

If a suitable switch was made, that would do just as well. There are variables involved, such as UAC, that make a generic USB switch unsuitable for some devices.

Right. Did not know that. I have a KVM module that I use to switch between the Mac and Windows machines. 2 DACs are connected to it, everything works perfectly fine, did not realize there might be compatibility issues. If some devices have compatibility issues, is it not possible to put a compatible device in the middle to solve this problem with a single DAC?

 

[FrankW]

VU meters and no external screws

 

[ThatGuyYouKnow]

If some devices have compatibility issues, is it not possible to put a compatible device in the middle to solve this problem with a single DAC?

The compatibility factor is where the SMSL PO100 PRO comes into play. It converts the USB signal to SPDIF and I2S output, with a UAC switch that fully works with the peculiarities of some game consoles. Putting that functionality into a DAC with multiple USB inputs would be ideal. Workarounds such as stripping audio from HDMI is too much of a kludge for me, though those HDMI solutions can yield clean audio signals unlike the garbage that is added to the SPDIF outputs in modern TVs and monitors.

 

[Veselchak U]

Strictly speaking it can't. That is a DAC + DSP.

why can't you put a digital strip separator in the DAC and make a double output?

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I think a usb DAC that will break the 8 channel multichannel barrier, and offer 10, 12, 14, even 16 or more channels in a good looking compact box with a master volume control. Kind of like my Octo DAC 8 Pro, only with more channels.

 

[TonyJZX]

Amir is excited about hoes. Me too bro, me too.

But seriously I'm always more excited about the low end. Its not I dont like high end gear but the world is full of $600 to $1,000 dacs. Obvioiusly we have already passed the point where more than acceptable performance comes at a incredibly low cost. And so I'm interested in what the Chinese (invariably) can do at low cost. I'm interested in efficiency.

A good case in point is that new M300se balanced xlr dac... for $120. Assuming the charts are good, which they should be, I dont know where exactly you can go past this point. They have build what I asked for... I wasnt too happy about what was going on under $150 but they did it. They had to move away from ESS/AKM but it doesnt matter.

 

[beeface]

Something like:

Topping's measured performance + miniDSP's functionality (incl room correction)

Maybe they could do a collaboration one day?

 

[Lupin]

Topping's version of the Mayflower Electronics Arc

 

[MaxwellsEq]

why can't you put a digital strip separator in the DAC and make a double output?

What is a "digital strip separator"?

A DAC takes one bitstream and converts it to one variable voltage - in Red Book world, this voltage may swing between 0 and -96dB (without dither) and from c 0 to 22.05 kHz. You can add more analogue buffers and feed more sources with this identical analogue signal.

If you want to do something like have one feed supply 0 to 250Hz and the other 250Hz to 22.05kHz you have to do processing (either in the digital domain or in the analogue domain) because you are changing the bitstream the audio producer published! This is not the function of a DAC.

 

[Veselchak U]

I want the DAC to have a digital crossover

 

[JeremyFife]

Better DAC implementation in general usage; phone, laptop, streamer (looking at you WiiM) so I don't have to think about DAC at all.
Standard functionality to bypass that ubiquitous DAC so the new breed of pre-amps can take over

Then the re-emergence of the pre-amp and integrated amps based on features; I'd like analogue input upstream of DSP, which means a better ADC too - but DSP/crossover then DAC as the core feature, with a nice volume control.

Others will want different stuff - multi channel etc - I just don't want to have to think about DAC/ADC

 

[Gigachad]

I want a AK4499EX based DAC below 300$, would purchase immediately

 

[Lambda]

seams like Most here want an DSP not a DAC

I want DACs to be boring dongles Digital in Analog Out no user interface no buttons no nothing
(maybe a DIP switch to select max. output volume)

And i want a DSP to connect how many DACs channels i need

 

[-Matt-]

I'd like to see DAC ICs with high SINAD (like 140dB) being used in AVRs. Rendering standalone DAC devices superfluous for the majority of users.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

seams like Most here want an DSP not a DAC

I agree, many of the comments here are about input switching, DSPs. analogue preamps, ADCs etc. The Digital-to-Audio-Converter (DAC) is the bit that almost no-one is discussing! It probably is a consequence of it being a "solved problem".

 

[Lupin]

I want a AK4499EX based DAC below 300$, would purchase immediately

Why?
DAC chip alone doesn't say anything about the performance nor feature set of a DAC.