What is a DAC? Do you Need One? | Beginner's Guide to DACs (Digital Analog Converter)

In this episode of Kanto Explains, we cover the basics of a Digital Analog Converter, a DAC so you know if you need it.
A DAC takes digital data and transforms it into an analog audio signal.
Watch this beginner guide to understand what is a DAC and if you need one.
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We aim to break down topics pertaining to various audio and video products to deliver clear-cut answers to your frequently asked questions.
Kanto is an exciting brand of CE products with a mission to support our customers’ digital lifestyle. We offer a wide selection of TV mounting solutions for commercial and residential use, ranging from wall mounts to mobile carts. All of our products are designed to make it easy for anyone to achieve a professional level setup.
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Chapters:
00:00 Overview
00:45 What is a DAC and when are you using a DAC
01:08 Frequently asked questions about DACs
02:09 The basics (DAC - Digital to Analog Converter)
04:52 What does a DAC do in simple words?
05:21 Questions answered
08:48 Conclusion

[@galan7337]

Great explanations. You are the rare trainer who understands that the "answer" is worthless without explaining the bigger picture first.

[@cityofangels11]

Very informative Jason. 🙂 Entering the world of IEM's and learning about DAC and this video set a lot of things straight.

[@papes_]

This was incredibly informative and exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!

[@alejandroprc]

Man! What a great explanation! Thanks for putting together these videos👍🏽

[@Sarge_72]

One of the best videos on this topic - incredibly well presented

[@rolocaranti]

Thank you so mucho for this video! I finally understand how a DAC works. You explained it so well.

[@ivanp8570]

Man, you rock! The DAC explained in the most clear way!

[@mystifyingentity]

just getting into sound stuff and experienced high end speakers for the first time and these videos really help

[@Doogle136]

Really valuable clarification, Jason. Thanks!

[@martinmullen71]

Thank you for this video, I’ve been out of hi-fi for a long time,and DACs was new to me, now I kind of understand it better.

[@andresilveira9552]

Wow! This video was awesome! Thank you so much for all the information.

[@E2rdzik]

That was impeccably clear. Thank you!

[@GregSchmidt711]

That was an excellent explanation of a complex subject. We’ll done!

[@thomasreuter1968]

Very clear explanations that are very helpful! Thx!

[@michaelthompson9798]

Hi Jason 👋😆👍 great video and terrific explanation and analogies used. It’s clarified some things I wasn’t sure about, but your video made it clear. Thanks heaps for your time on this topic 🥰🥰👍🎉

[@KantoSolutions]

Awesome, thank you!

[@Jack-um5ii]

Thank you Jason this was very helpful

[@andrewoutside2073]

THANK YOU Jason!!!!!! Fantastic video with simple explanations. 🙌🏻

[@rickkolb6758]

I thought I had a good handle on DACs but after this excellent analysis by Kanto Solutions I fell more comfortable in my understanding. Thanks!

[@KantoSolutions]

We are happy to help 😄

[@tomelew8465]

Phenomenal video! Thanks.

[@georgieo.5190]

that was a quite good explanation of what and how a DAC functions! I knew what it was and still this helped so much for picturing it , thank you :)

[@johnnysutherland5717]

Excellent video - I get it now. Thank you!

[@marvinkentvillamor1570]

Nice! Informative and easy to digest.

[@KantoSolutions]

🙌

[@TheEnglishRedneck45]

Extremely useful and very clearly explained too

[@KantoSolutions]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ThunderKat]

Excellent explanation, right to the point... Just missing the explanation around amplifiers since they do affect the DAC quality in a small manner and seem that was involved around the question.

[@JulianAbreu]

such perfect video, thank you

[@TRANCERwin]

Im enlightened right now, thanks for the knowledge (:

[@clearskyy]

Thank you for explaining this

[@ChrisTopheRaz]

Very well put. I completely understand now. Only my second video in but no need to go further in my research on these devices.

[@fabricefleck5409]

Very good explanation!

[@sabaliovercome]

Great presentation. The more you know about audio..

[@joegallagher6461]

Thank you for being the helpful friendly anonymous audio nerd!

[@ndavies8]

Excellent explanation

[@Otang6]

This is amazing. Thank you 🙏. So if I stream audio over Bluetooth from my phone, then I am not using my phone’s DAC, since Bluetooth is digital. Therefore I can stream Bluetooth to an external DAC, which converts to analog and sends to my speakers

[@RecktalBear]

Dude, thank you so much!

[@mlbeaumont]

Loved this thanks

[@d1piper]

After watching this I’m glad I didn’t buy the first DAC I saw. But now I’ve looked and so many I can’t decide ha

[@timschutte6924]

Exactly, there are so many choices. It boggles my mind.

[@rattledroar2426]

The lovely fun of audiophile gear lol. Right there with you though 😂

[@yodigak8810]

Solution: buy the first one you saw

[@TrevorDodd-ev1sx]

That's where i am right now.

[@user-oh6ev7mj5q]

@@timschutte6924 I still dont know if I still need a DAC after I bought an FosiTB10D cheap amp. Will the amp itself have high quality or do I need a DAC over the other DAC?!

[@RdandTrk1]

Hot damn this video was educational! I've watched several break downs by now but this one caused it to really click!

[@jayd2204]

This was very helpful, thank you for good explanation :D

[@tedroybal5231]

Awesome content. Thank you

[@odebroqueville]

Very nice explanation! Thank you Favarella... ellla!

[@Lou.B]

Excellent!!!

[@thewillsfamilyaccount6486]

Nicely explained.. thank you..

[@mohammedalomari1998]

Thanks for your great channel and reviews. If i have cd player with dac and i connect it to integrated amplifier within dac via rca, what dac will be utilized the cd player one or integrated amplifier one? Kind regard

[@BobYau]

The best explanation I've seen/heard. Excellent job! Keep up the great work !

[@jman2101]

Awesome video!

[@TheDoobree]

Genius video, thx!

[@MusicConnoisseurian]

Finally. Great explanation.

[@GeirRssaak]

No, this was a stupid explanation!

[@LillyAugusta]

Hey nice vid! There are also digital clocks that show seconds ;) Cheers!

[@pa1]

Thank u thank u sooo much. Really the info what I am looking for

[@Rurike]

Thanks a lot, this was a lot of help

[@katerinaplockova6092]

this is very well explained

[@ecobuilder508]

Excellent presentation caused me to subscribe to enjoy future segments

[@TheMmvukici]

this video was so helpful thank you.

[@KantoSolutions]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dreamfunction4491]

Very well done sir.

[@volleyballvideos6426]

DAC was an amazing video! ;-) Thanks!

[@h_a.na.]

This is the most clear explanation!

[@diceman68692]

Wonderful explanation. Well done.

[@victoryvisiontour]

That was a really clear explanation. Thank you.

[@mrronenza]

Great video. Question pls : What best audio result: Streamer with built in DAC 92/196 connected to a processor via analog cables OR that streamer connected Digital via Coax RCA cable to that processor and using the processor’s BETTER DAC but up to 24/96 ? Thank you

[@JohnnyTheDoe]

Very informative. I'm brand new to the hifi hobby. Thank you for such a helpful video. So if I understand correctly, the "Line In 1/Line in 2" on my amp is for input of something like a CD player or cassette deck, and therefore it will be utilising a DAC within the Amp for those inputs.

[@swamysasi9296]

What about wireless transmission, when we connected through blutooth what type signals we are sending to the speaker's? Please explain about different codecs like aptx and aptx_hd or aac

[@sammassam100]

i liked it for its simple non dramatic presentation.

[@sudhirsimson3340]

Thanks for the explanation. I am connecting my new TV using Optical Out to my old Home theatre using RCA in using a DAC. It only plays on two speakers and not on all the 5 speakers. Does it mean, it only sends 2 channel signals? Is there any way to hear on all the speakers (it doesn't have to be surround sound).

[@alexistruong3123]

Best explanation ever ! To anyone wondering what is DAC. Skills + Perfect pedagogy : the best combo to understand in a simple manner the topic. Many thanks Jason ZAVARELLA & KANTO Company

[@francesschaefer]

AGREE!👍

[@sawsaw7]

WOW! I had watched several videos on DACs and the whole thing was still kinda confusing, but this explanation was so clear it even made me feel smart

[@MrNobody-zx4jz]

I m Still confused. I m the same as before. I don't know absolutely nothing new. Should I buy a dac or amp or dongle that has them both for my earphone to sound better???

[@tytownsend8219]

​@@MrNobody-zx4jzme too😬😬😬

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

it was a guess, i know nothing abt their sound

[@GeirRssaak]

Hello! Ifyour sources are cd-sacd or turntables ,do not waste your money on a DAC! If you want to stream music by wire or wireless, you should get a good integrated amp with all these options!then you can use your smartphone or computer to stream everything!

[@rijoe57]

Very nice video. Thanks! Could you please tell me if we can connect an amp/dac combo (like the ifi hip dac) to an amp and then to headphones? will the additional amplification of the amp DAC instead of just the DAC create an issue in sound quality?

[@williamvezina1944]

Thanks, it's exactly what I thought, however should I CHK. The DAC in my receiver with digital connect, to see what's better? The DAC in my CD player sounds really good, 1 more thing, is it worth my time to check an external DAC? Thanks

[@Manjiss92]

Thank you so much, this was super clear!

[@KantoSolutions]

Glad we could help 😊

[@odessa69max]

Best DAC explanation

[@alexcobb6201]

Brilliant!

[@V1RU5Zuk]

I love those 'aha' moments when I understand the answer to the question that led me here. Thanks for clearing this up!

[@atuane7003]

Thanks, subscribed 😊 I am new to this. So a preamp with Bluetooth also has a dac in it to convert the digital Bluetooth signal to rca. Correct?

[@anthrax0pranav]

Loved your video! So when I hook up my iPhone with a lightning output to a 3.5 mm output; does the DAC reside in the converter/ adapter? And if it does, doesn’t it imply that any downstream DAC is a wasted instrument since it’s own input has already been translated a stage above? Or are you suggesting that converters can by pass the DAC capability held natively in them to downstream devices for modulation?

[@stevenholt5484]

that 'lightning cable' is only used to charge the phone, it has nothing to do with a DAC. Use your bluetooth function.

[@guitarhero9592]

Do you know if the converter can be used to convert optical cable from TV to RCA cables for a powered subwoofer? I just replaced my sound bar and my old one had “sub out” so was thinking of using hdmi arc from soundbar to hdmi arc on tv then optical from tv to input of converter then use RCA output from converter using RCA cables to connect my powered subwoofer.

[@JohnW118]

excellent analogies and description.

[@KantoSolutions]

Glad you liked it

[@Aidan.17]

Thanks for the video. I still don’t understand though why the DAC on Z407 Logitech speaker ($149 speakers) sounds audibly flat e.g. no treble compared to using 3.5mm audio out on my $70 motherboard which is fine.

[@TheJohnam]

Very good information, so it seems that a pair of speakers with rca cables connected to your pc cannot have an external dac converter or i need a sound tarjet with a dac converter? because i have a pair of edifier 350db speakers with a woofer and has high frequency cone and a only one low-mid frequency cone each spearker... i have hear than a dac converter can make correct to the low-mid cone doesnt sound muddy and more clarified so then the woofer sounds more separated or tighter, or on the other hand the low-mid cone more discriminated to the woofer, sorry i am too specified so i want to make sense to a possible solution... thanks!

[@lasmuljadi8215]

Hello, im currently using kanto yu4. Im considering buy a astell kern pee51 usb c dac , is it gonna be improve the sound quality ? If so, how big the differences ? Is it gonna change the sound characteristic of my kanto yu4, because i already like the sound but want to improve the sound quality. Im using my macbook pro 16” as the source, and use apple music lossless. Thankyou

[@Sunrayman123]

excellent primer!

[@frankhugh2052]

Excellent vid. Still have no clue what a DAC is or for

[@Arthax83]

Finally I understad this! Thank you Jason!

[@GeirRssaak]

I do not think you have understood anything at all!

[@Arthax83]

​@@GeirRssaakhow so?

[@GeirRssaak]

Dear arthax! If you are swedish, you know that fantastic music has been made in sweden! Trust your ears and buy gear that makes you hear a difference! Too many hifi con men out there!

[@davesway1170]

Great video

[@aoyukialquen2835]

thank you man, i love ur clear explanation

[@KantoSolutions]

Glad it helped!

[@OG_Greg]

Amazing explanation. Thank you. If I was to watch this video a second time, i'd have the required knowledge to skip it :D

[@danielshaun3429]

I’m looking into hooking up a phone to an auxiliary to digital coaxial cord to DAC to soundbar/also to mono home theatre amp to subwoofer!…. Would this set up work?

[@TheAkagai]

Good job. Even Eye could understand it.

[@muhammadali8105]

Excellent! You have a talent for explaining technology with practical application in mind. Extremely helpful.

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

prob coming from years of pc troubleshooting

[@kevinansell9341]

Just purchased a new Samsung Smart TV with no Headphone socket for my Cordless Headphones so I used a DAC to connect the Digital Optical out to my the Headphone reciever Analogue in and works a treat..

[@justme25533]

You rock brother....

[@MrFreakwent]

best explanation I've ever heard.

[@omerktee9261]

Thank you.

[@neil222222]

Very good

[@vwoeng7477]

I was recommended to get a dac by the shop I bought my current IEMs from when I complained about hissing noise when using my iem on laptop. Got a simple dongle DAC and boy. It solved the hissing problem AND brought up my audio experience from limp noodle to God

[@KantoSolutions]

nice to encounter someone else using the limp noodle to god scale

[@edmondo785]

Hi Jason, thanks for the video. One question, if two DACs can't work simultaneously, how can a portable DAC work for mobile phones?

[@jyjjy7]

Because almost all (high end) mobile phones do not have a headphone jack (aka, an analog output). That said, even if it does you can still plug a portable DAC into the (digital) USB output of the phone as you would if it didn't have one, which isn't a terrible idea as often a dedicated DAC will be significantly higher quality than the one built into a phone (apart from certain LG phones, RIP, which had/have excellent audiophile level quad DACs).

[@MastrChee]

Some brands of active speakers have RCA inputs which go through ADCs (Analog to Digital Converter) for handling things like frequency cut off for the LFE/Sub out. Do the Kanto (YU4 specifically) speakers passthrough the Analog RCA input directly to the amp without modification (without ADC and DAC again) ?

[@KantoSolutions]

Only TUK uses an ADC, the rest of our speakers are analog

[@glennberg8300]

Man you are a fantastic presenter. Great voice and presence. Oh and you provided a very useful set of info about DACs

[@KantoSolutions]

Thank you!

[@GeirRssaak]

No, this is just bullshit!

[@kevinb3812]

Some people really need this information! I guess we all do.

[@SacreDro]

So if I want to listen to a CD via a CD player transport, do I need a DAC to connect it to the amp from the CD player or my desktop PC?

[@saqibchughtai8437]

I feel enlightened

[@keyemup]

Thank you! If I run my DAC output to a speaker control (Presonus Central Station), am I using (hearing) the DAC from the unit or the speaker control? HELP!

[@user-eb4iq2jw3y]

Fantastic video! That's Brah