What is a DAC?

DAC, or digital analogue converter, is so common that you may not even think about it, but most of us use at least one DAC conversion every day. Installed on computers, tablets and smartphones, the DAC circuit is the basic key for opening the comfort of digital music. It transforms countless digital data into an analog signal that is understandable to speakers and headphones - and the human ear.

Any digital sound source needs a DAC that converts the sound into an analog signal before sending it. All devices such as a CD or Blu-ray player, a digital TV box, a game console or a laptop music player is a DAC device.

Traditional amplifiers do not process digital information, speakers do not repeat digital information, and our ears cannot interpret digital information - they all need an analog wave format. Without DAC, your digital music collection is just a large collection of 0 and 1 signals that make sense only in the digital area. In short, DAC is of great importance in the fact that digital music is possible.

The biggest problem is that the DAC circuits used on many devices are not effective enough to make the right to the original recording. As a result, an update of DAC can be the simplest way to improve digital music and really get the most out of your system. In our online store you will find plenty of high quality DA converters in many different price range. Find out more about our selection To DA transformers here.

What is Dac and what is it doing?

All the sounds we hear daily are transmitted as sound waves, which pass through the air as an analog signal that is constantly changing to the ears.

The analog records were originally stored on clay and vinyl records and later on magnetic sets, but the fragility of these formats and the unwanted noise made room for something new. At the same time, the CD was created and launched a digital audio revolution.

The approach to digital sound is very different from analog. Digital music files are usually in PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) and are created by measuring analog music signal amplitude at regular intervals.

The amplitude value is presented as a binary number (consisting of 1 and 0), and the length of this chapter is often called a bit depth. The timing of the measurement intervals is called sampling frequency.

For example, when storing a regular CD, a sample is taken 44 to 100 times per second. Each of these samples is measured with 16 bits and the results are stored in a 16-digit binary form.

While you vote for a high resolution strip, you take a step of 24 bits, with a sample of up to 192,000 times per second.

Digital audio data can be stored at a variety of sampling frequencies, bit depths, coding and packaging forms. DAC's mission is to interpret it as closely as possible from the binary form and return it as close to the original analog recording as possible.

Why do I need a separate DAC?

It is true that almost all digital devices have DAC, but it is equally true that not all DACs are the same. First of all, they may not support all file data rates.

Poor conversions can cause unwanted noise during repetition due to a poorly designed circuit, not to mention the jitter extra distortion. The jitter is best defined as digital timing errors. The exact timing of the digital stream of music is vital to high performance, and if it is not done properly - usually due to a poorly designed digital clock circuit - performance will suffer.

Jitter problems can arise whenever the digital signal needs to pass around the circuit board - and it is particularly difficult when the signal is moved between the devices. In recent years, asynchronous DAC has become more common, which receives timing tasks from the attached computer, for this very reason.

The digital watches used for HIFI-DAC players in specialized HIFI DAC players are usually more accurate than the bells used on a regular computer, so the conversion process is usually performed more closely.

Of course, in order to get the most out of the DAC amplifier or device, you need to use good source material-don't expect miracles if the converter only uses 128 KBPS MP3 files. In fact, better decoding of such a packed signal can make possible vocal flaws more clearly.

For the best results, you can get the CD-quality and better content that is best saved by FLAC, WAV or ALAC (MAC) in a loss-free PCM format or alternatively in DSD format if you want.

What are DSD and PCM?

DSD or Direct Stream Digital is an option for PCM and was originally developed for the Super Audio CD (SACD) format, which Sony and Philips prefer in the late 90s and 00s.

It is a much narrower format that differs from PCM with just one bit depth, but with a much higher sampling frequency - usually DSD64 at 2.8 MHz and DSD128 5.6 MHz sampling frequency.

The debate on which coding system is better continues. If you are in favor of DSD, you should check that the DAC you are considering will support it. Most support it, but not all.