Sorry if I’ve misunderstood but you said you were a bit of an external DAC sceptic, as quoted. I interpreted that as suggesting that all DACs were the same so you might as well use whatever comes in your streamer, CD player or whatever.
Could you please explain what you really meant by your scepticism about external DACs?
Thanks
First, let's be clear that I don't think all DACs sound the same..
Possibly 'wariness' is more accurate than scepticism. It's based on a few things.
I'm no electronics expert but as I understand it, all commercial audio DACs are implementations of DAC chips. Also as I understand it, the sound can be made to vary according to the circuitry/filters etc., used with the DAC. This, as I pointed out above, begs the question..what is the 'correct' implementation of the chip?'
Even decades ago I recall Pink Triangle coming up with a DAC with multiple filter modules. Was it the Ordinal ? Hold that thought. I did.
Slight sideways step.. Also decades ago, the first flush of DACs were sold either for use with CD drives, or as potential upgrades for integrated CDPs. I well recall a group review in one of the mags, which revealed that some were quite literally very basic DACs 'buried' inside fancy cases.
Fast forward to the fading of CDPs and rise of streaming. This saw revived interest in/ marketing of DACs and suddenly there were loads about..many from previously unheard of makers and with prices from a few quid up to the tens of £k.
Next. I just searched RS Components for Audio DACs. They carry about 40 chips with prices ranging from pennies up to £80+. This includes stuff from Texas Instruments, who bought out Burr Brown.... Of course there will be other suppliers, but you get my drift?
So, multiple prices/ qualities of DAC chips with seemingly endless choices around implementation.
A bit of a minefield?
Finally add in that the Audiolab M DAC, which seems a bit of a winner by common consent, features, multiple choices of filter...
Something doesn't add up.
OK.. If I want, I can go out and compare DACs within my budget and hopefully find something which sounds better to me than my Benchmark or my onboard Innuos DAC, or my Yamaha CDR in 'DAC mode'.
But will it be 'correct'?
I'm not stressing over this and until I can get round to comparing, I'm happy with my Benchmark.
EDIT: But.. if Digital Audio is so 'perfect', why is it so difficult and expensive to do and why are there multiple correct answers ?