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

[@TsuTsu2]

This is possibly to easiest educational video to understand that I've ever seen on KZbin. It was delivered so well.

[@galan7337]

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

[@tharrigan5661]

Thank you for this extremely clear explanation regarding DAC’s. Those of us that are just beginning our journey on two channel music appreciate this information.

[@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 😄

[@rolocaranti]

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

[@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.

[@hipidipi20157max]

@@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?!

[@cityofangels11]

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

[@mystifyingentity]

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

[@ivanp8570]

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

[@cadiehl1]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! Finally someone dumbed it down so I could understand. Greatly appreciate this video.

[@papes_]

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

[@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!

[@V1RU5Zuk]

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

[@Marlon_BMG]

Very nice video, just starting to get into all this audio stuff. What a DAC is and does is now very clear to me thanks a lot mate!

[@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.

[@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

[@GregSchmidt711]

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

[@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!

[@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!

[@MarcusDolby]

Very helpful. Thanks for not being condescending. Not everyone is an expert.

[@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

[@RogueVisionary]

So I guess I'm still a bit confused, which may have to do with my specific issue. My phone doesn't seem to support 32bits, but my headphones do, and I was hoping an external DAC would help with reaching that max potential. What can be recommended in this scenario and which DACs do you think I should consider?

[@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.

[@jselt53]

this confused novice found the video very helpful. good job presenter.

[@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

[@dragonstone6594]

You may be sarcastic but most people don't understad these concepts or just don't bother. However you explaided it very well here.

[@andrewoutside2073]

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

[@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.

[@f8fj]

Thanks. I was confused and this was great help.

[@quitmanlott7394]

Great explanation for people like me. I understood you perfectly, but someone that knows next to nothing about an oscilloscope, might have trouble understanding wave function.

[@frankhugh2052]

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

[@louisbelfiore945]

Thank you so much. Most clear and concise explanation ever.

[@Dolle_Man]

I missed the comparison with the use of an audio-interface with also functions as a DAC.

[@doncoyote2]

There are plenty of budget DACs around with optical input. Is it worthwhile using these from a TV instead of external speaker's DAC?

[@VinhNguyen12388]

Do I need to use DAC, if I connect optical from TV to optical of amplifier? Thanks

[@joegallagher6461]

Thank you for being the helpful friendly anonymous audio nerd!

[@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

[@solice8844]

My all in one desktop computer has a built in DAC, I am sure. When playing you-tube music a single cord connects the computer (digital end light green 3.5 sound jack) to my stereo receiver (RCA end red-white analog plugs). Do I need a stand alone external DAC to improve the system sound output and where should it be placed?

[@clintjakealfante3101]

A question, If you play your audio thru bluetooth, are you using the DAC that is built-in in the speaker?

[@thats2odd]

I'm going to do a setup on my PC using the the Klipsch R-51M. Can I get away with just a Amp or would a DAC give me a better sound quality? A powered subwoofer will be in the future

[@davidst4896]

Very good! If you have a Turntable (no builtin preamp) hooked to a Tube phono amp to a Tube preamp and then to a Tube amp to passive speakers you have pure analog sound, no DAC.

[@spacecowboy511]

But that’s the DAC…

[@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!

[@Sarge_72]

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

[@benbryson6598]

6:50 I wonder if the question was, would an external dac cause the signal to bypass the built in dac and use the external converter, I'm guessing no

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

then those would be epics and fairly priced

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

although um too has their car worth lineup

[@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?

[@stephentyler4352]

Thank you for clearing up this information for us here. I just learned something new.

[@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

[@alexistheonlyone-o1c]

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!👍

[@E2rdzik]

That was impeccably clear. Thank you!

[@MK-fg9qe]

So basically, if I want to use an external DAC/ Pre-Amplifier/ Amplifier, I need to buy the passive speakers, not for active Kanto speaker right? There is no way to improve the sound with active/powered Kanto speakers, correct?

[@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?

[@bryanguest2807]

Watched the entire video and I am more confused as to what my Drug and Alcohol Counseling has to do with any of this.

[@eugeneniemierzycki6490]

No more bullshit with this audiophile drivel! This guy's terrible!

[@jadebizzle8487]

Hahaha

[@WyvernVin]

You honestly made me lol!

[@boronmich]

I got only one question, as I was always mixing from 2 turntables... is it true that sound from turntables is going to sound warmer/better/more fulll/round (using the same active speakers as outputs) in 2 different scenarios 1. using a digital mixer like Xone DB4 2. using analog pioneer djm 600. That intrigues me a lot. - thank Yopu in advance for an answer.

[@boronmich]

I mean will there be any difference in sound using e.g. CD Players and analogue mixer or Turntables and analogue mixer as well as turntables and digital mixer and CD players and digital mixer - in both cases using active speakers, or using e.g. amplifier?

[@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).

[@h_a.na.]

This is the most clear explanation!

[@TheRoccokid]

I have a MA-352 with S/F Speakers, my CD player has built in DAC, is another unit needed?

[@barrywilliams606]

I might be behind , but how would you use a wiim mini with the amp Bluetooth or solid connection

[@425gabe]

I understand that analog signals can only be transmitted via electrical current. Why don’t computers have an optical output? Would a DAC’s quality be best represented by being feeded an optical signal or an electrical signal?

[@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.

[@henokh.c]

If I'm using an external DAC and headphone on 2 different laptop would the audio output sound similar? or does the laptop have an influence on the audio coming out?

[@KantoSolutions]

As long as the laptops are just passing a digital signal to the external DAC, the laptops will not have an influence on the audio coming out.

[@muhammadali8105]

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

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

prob coming from years of pc troubleshooting

[@franklandgraff1190]

Very informative, but I have a question that came to as I watched this. Many receivers have built in DACs and your speakers have a DAC. Can both DAC's be bypassed and use a better quality DAC? CD player to DAC to Amplifier to Speakers?

[@KantoSolutions]

Yes if your CD player has an optical out you can feed the digital stream into an external DAC and then feed the analog signal into the speakers RCA input.

[@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..

[@alejandroprc]

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

[@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).

[@ecobuilder508]

Excellent presentation caused me to subscribe to enjoy future segments

[@huyly5339]

Hi, if I connect a DAC using Optical connection to listen to music on youtube, do I actually getting better sound? Thanks.

[@bjohnsonsv]

Amazing explanation. I feel like I'm ready for a quiz! :)

[@BrettGlass]

Thanks, When I was young I didn't pay attention. We were to busy partying and just knew it sounded good,or not. Now that I'm trying to learn in my old age, they have made it very confusing. Like when a speakers wpc rating had old school wpc and list something called DIM or MIN or/???. Or trying to match a newer receiver to old school speakers where all they list for power is actually what the unit will use, not the output per channel. I guess it makes it look more powerful. Thanks I now understand DAC...but. When do I need one? Is the built in DAC on phones or computers poor. If so how would running it through another DAC change that???

[@MrFreakwent]

best explanation I've ever heard.

[@Declan4253]

I understand DACs and STILL enjoyed your explanations. My question is, should I upgrade my $75 integrated DAC and headphone amp to much more expensive dedicated DACs and headphone amp and what is so special about the higher end devices that they cost 10 to 20 times more or even more than that!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!

[@JohnW118]

excellent analogies and description.

[@KantoSolutions]

Glad you liked it

[@sabaliovercome]

Great presentation. The more you know about audio..

[@WTFigorWTF]

So, if i connect my PC to my external DAC via optical cable (digital). And my external DAC to my speakers via XLR (Analog). Im using only my External DAC and not my DAC built in my PC?

[@Doogle136]

Really valuable clarification, Jason. Thanks!

[@jayd2204]

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

[@lol3ndir]

Hi, if I have Schiit Magnius and Modius stack what's the best connection for me to use? Kanto RCA to Modius DAC's RCA or use the optical cable to Modius? I just want a single device connected to my computer instead of 2 USB's. I can switch Kanto speaker and Sennheiser with Modius DAC input. Thank you for someone who will answer my inquiry.

[@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?

[@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

[@DJODJOMusic]

Can you use for studio monitors to tv?

[@alennovak408]

I have Kanto YU6 speakers (with SUB8) and they are connected to a TV with the optical cable. So, I'm using built in DAC of the speakers... Will some higher quality DAC make a difference in sound?

[@KantoSolutions]

There's a chance the sound could be improved, but modern DACs are so good across the board that the perceived difference may not be worth the extra money.

[@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.

[@saneshgobin4259]

So I have dongle DAC (Sound blaster Play 4) attached to my pc via usb because the internal line out/ headphone port is not working. I bought a cheap 2.1 system with included amplifier ( Microlab fc360). It only takes line input or rca. Will it cause any problems with the DAC or Amp if I connect the dongle DAC to the Microlab line input? thanks in advance.

[@fabieneldridge3414]

I have a old Marantz with only RCA connections and I did hook up a Bluetooth so I can play my phone through it. Now is it using the phone DAC ? Is it playing digital or analog ? If I bought a DAC would it remain digital or be converted back into analog by the stereo? I do think the phone is cleaner than other sources . You can tell how well the music was recorded because different recordings sound different. My Klipsch horns are very sensitive and take very little power. I’m kind of lost ? Thank you

[@KantoSolutions]

I'm assuming you adding a Bluetooth receiver to your Marantz. If that's the case the phone is sending digital audio to the Bluetooth receiver and the Bluetooth receiver is converting the audio to analog which means the DAC is in the Bluetooth receiver.

[@fabieneldridge3414]

@@KantoSolutions thank you

[@QuirkyFactos]

So, if I am using my phone to stream spotify by connecting it using jack 3.5mm to usb whatever the DAC need, then DAC to my basic normal speaker via AUX, am I listening a DAC version of the song or still considered digital?

[@pinarellolimoncello]

Excuse my ignorance and this might be going slightly off topic from the video but would I be correct in saying the only difference between streaming music by a computer and playing it through my hifi or doing it with a DAC is that the former gives me a digital sound whilst the latter will be presented as analogue ie same as listening to a record. Secondly if 90 % of streamed music is lossy compared to cd quality then I'm not sure what all the fuss is about other than the convenience of being able to stream . Happy to plead ignorance , if anyone can explain further best reason to buy a DAC i'd really appreciate it, thank you.

[@LillyAugusta]

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

[@aoyukialquen2835]

thank you man, i love ur clear explanation

[@KantoSolutions]

Glad it helped!

[@kamertonaudiophileplayer847]

Do you know that Google dropped support of DSD audio. So, what system do you recommend now?

[@sietchtabr5120]

It's only business companies' choices, why should it be yours?🤔😉

[@kamertonaudiophileplayer847]

@@sietchtabr5120 Why did you come to such decision?

[@odebroqueville]

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

[@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!

[@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

[@dooms8870]

Hi, so i just got my first IEM , the KZ CRN and waiting to improve the sound. I was thinking of getting one of these Type C dacs but the thing is, im using an LG G6 with its own Quad Dac. Do you think there will be any point getting one?

[@thomashenner3400]

I've noticed this that when I connect my apple notebook to the cd inputs of a solid state luxman receiver circa 1989, I have no problems. I do this via miniheadphone jack cable that split to RCA jacks to the CD inputs of the luxman. However when I do the same hookup using a late 90s Yamaha receiver the apple notebook takes over the whole Yamaha not allowing anything else to function of the Yamaha controls basically rendering the Yamaha as just a power amplifier. But I get a nice sound coming from my AR vintage bookshelf speakers. What is happening?

[@BobYau]

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

[@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

[@josephguo6256]

I need one because digital input of my old AV receiver was down and I do not want to throw it away.

[@petert2922]

A CD approximates a smooth analog signal? And what makes up the approximation? The DAC? The DAC circuit is between the preamp and final stage so it would be pretty late in the game of smoothing out anything, and what is the preamp preamping in the meantime? A music CD is just like a vinyl with microscopic tracks with the exact same pits and pit depths as a vinyl, to scale of course. So yeah leaving the data portion like ID info the actual music on a music cd is as analog as a vinyl. A smooth analog signal would be just a sine wave by the way.