CDP Double DACing?

ferninando

Lunatic Member
Does an outboard hi-end DAC improve sound quality
of a CDP which already has a good internal DAC?
Im abit confused.
Thanks.

PS: I have done it on a 1bit DAC unit, adding a DACMagic to it and was amazd at the sound improvement.
But that was not with a HI-end internal DAC.
 
the chip in the CDP could very well be in the external DAC. the former is constrained to the
target price of the total package so it's an issue of what the designers chose (price, cost,
value, sound quality, qty negotiations for that chip across all the current and upcoming designs).

the external DAC has different goals and different margins.

the good news is that with each new generation of DACs, and new design technology for circuits,
you can upgrade that older CDP with the addition of a new DAC. I would look at the DAC chips
used rather than the price point (if for no other reasons than to avoid the "how can a $200 DAC
be any good" argument), and avoid the "aluminum CNC cases" that cost 5K alone.

my favorite example is the AKM4490 chip. used in portable players and high-end CDPs. next
up is the ESS9038 chip. look for it. buy it and listen. and save up for the next TOTL SOA chip.
 
Your CD player would be used for as the player - digital output to the outboard DAC - digital to analog conversion - connection to your audio system.

So no, there is no double DAC usage.
What if there is no digital out. Can you DAC the ''audio'' out signal.?
 
the chip in the CDP could very well be in the external DAC. the former is constrained to the
target price of the total package so it's an issue of what the designers chose (price, cost,
value, sound quality, qty negotiations for that chip across all the current and upcoming designs).

the external DAC has different goals and different margins.

the good news is that with each new generation of DACs, and new design technology for circuits,
you can upgrade that older CDP with the addition of a new DAC. I would look at the DAC chips
used rather than the price point (if for no other reasons than to avoid the "how can a $200 DAC
be any good" argument), and avoid the "aluminum CNC cases" that cost 5K alone.

my favorite example is the AKM4490 chip. used in portable players and high-end CDPs. next
up is the ESS9038 chip. look for it. buy it and listen. and save up for the next TOTL SOA chip.
Im abit ignorant . What is SOA?
Thanks for the explanation of the other stuff.
Except for "looking for used dac chips". not quite clear on that.
 
One other question.
Do all DAC chips follow the same pinouts allowing interchangeability?
Im just getting into this whole DAC rolling thing.
I have 2 OPAMP rolls under my belt waiting for the chips to come and see how it works.
This is al extreemly interesting.
 
I would like to know about interchangibility of DACs tho.
Has a standard pinout been established?

nevermind got the answer. it is no.
 
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