What is a DAC?

[@oldgoat8861]

I'm 62yrs old....been a HiFi buff since 1978. I DIDN'T KNOW what a DAC is either. Thank you for the explanation.

[@helthuismartin]

Paul would be a very good teacher.

[@johngranato2673]

Is

[@ford1546]

The first digital disc was, after all, a laser disc which came in the late 70's

[@ZeusTheTornado]

Laser Discs were analog

[@spacemissing]

LaserDiscs were entirely analog until Red Book digital audio (CD style) was added.

[@LuxAudio389]

A DAC in modern times is something that changes every few months and becomes worth less. So one better like its sound and features without hearing the newer ones. Folklore says that Lepreprachs like to torture audiophiles with new DACS.☘️🌈

[@Fedgery007]

Better buy one that can be upgraded.

[@jeffreybrady927]

If you have a cd player from the late 80s through the 90s there is a pretty good chance the dac that is built into the player is not that great so it you get a separate external dac that you bypass the players dac with a cable made for that you can greatly improve the sound of your cds Many companies make them.I believe PS audio makes good ones.

[@n.m.saseendran7270]

Very informative and useful. Whether a DAC can be connected to / between a DVD player and an amplifier. If yes how, kindly explain.

[@rubinder2797]

You videos are super enlightening. I learn a lot.

[@wayneque2101]

A very nice explanation, I now have all the knowledge I need to install one on my stereo! Thanks 🙏 😊🥃🍺🥂🎵🎶🎵🎶🎶

[@patrickantwerp1364]

Thank you Paul, I already knew that explanation, but now the practical side. I have an LFD amplifier, a Cambridge audio CD player and ELAC speakers. A DAC is present in the CD player, but how should an external DAC bring the signal from the CD player to the amplifier? Should I connect the signal from the CD player to the external DAC and then bring the signal from the external DAC to the amplifier? Thanks in advance.

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

I don't think I have ever seen Paul answer a comment so somebody needs to jump in. The short answer is yes, you got it exactly right. The longer version would discuss the method as in cable type for getting the signal from the CD player/transport to your DAC. Thing is, if you already have both pieces just use the method that they give you and you'll be fine. If you still have to buy them and your budget provides some flexibility then you can dig deeper into the different formats for coupling the signals about.

[@MartinManweiler]

Depending on how nice your CD player is the DAC might be pretty awesome and synergistic that’s already in it. Where I noticed a big difference was streaming from my Blusound Node. Also, Paul may be more likely to answer questions directly on the website than here.

[@pinav3304]

I had no idea what a DAC is….and now I know. Not that I care, but I might. All analog here…Rega P3, McIntosh 6100, Sansui T770 tuner and a Decware Rachel on the way to give me a tube alternative for amplification. Oh, a set of massive Crites Cornscala “B”s that I made with Bob’s help. I’ve dabbled , with simple ignorance perhaps with digital, but I can hear the 1’s and 0’s and I don’t like it. Not then, not now. But now I know what a DAC is…Thank You Sir…always a fan.

[@purplesabbath9057]

You can't hear 1s and 0s. To suggest so is absolutely ludicrous. It's all analog by the time it reaches your ears.

[@trutmaasfull]

I remember my first real highend walkman, it was a Panasonic! It was freakin amazing…😍

[@cletusberkeley9441]

Hell yeah❤😂

[@steveodian6008]

I still have my Panasonic Walkman. I bought it many years ago because it had DBX noise reduction.

[@alancrane4693]

Them were the days 😀

[@manuzach]

Paul is a very good teacher

[@liamporter1137]

Life was simpler during vinyl and CD days. Then come along when vinyl and CD were disappearing and digital and streaming are taking over which create lots of stress and confusion. Then audiophile world make it worse by introducing preamp, power amp, phono preamp, DAC, MQA DSD, LDAC, etc. 😫😫😫😫

[@gitmobob6266]

It always amazes me that when talking about a DAC people obsess about the chip set and never consider the analog portion of the device. The design of the analog portion I believe is the biggest difference in sound from cheap to state of the art. This is why the sound coming out of an iPhone sucks and is much better from most dedicated DACs.

[@ramzysoftware2008]

The more we go digital At the end we must return back to analog as a final output I believe that the sound in real life ia an analog by it's nature Even Our ears working with analog system

[@davidfromamerica1871]

You mean birds don’t sing in Digital 24/192😳🥺 That means I need to buy one of Paul’s $7,000 DAC to convert birds singing.

[@sidesup8286]

I used the ordinary household items in group A to improve my sound, regarding my yesterdays post. Not many seemed interested, so I won't bother to explain how.

[@davidfromamerica1871]

I use Channel number 5 on all my women singers in my music playlists. Not only do they sound better, they now smell good too while singing.

[@neetknight9954]

In describing “tape” you should mention that it is magnetic, and how that works in an analog recording.

[@Milo_Molnar]

Great explanation.

[@alancrane4693]

Gergio dude! I feel love. Brilliant stuff 👍

[@JonAnderhub]

1:49 "...it was that was captured in what we call analog which is a direct copy of the actual analog signal..." This is incorrect, any signal captured to tape IS NOT a direct copy of the actual analog signal but is a distorted representation of the original analog signal! Starting with the microphone which typically does not have a linear 20 Hz. to 20KHz frequency response and is typically selected for its signal coloring characteristics (distortion of the original analog source), to the microphone preamp, which is also usually described by the way it distorts the original analog signal (i.e. warm, which rolls of high frequencies and creates harmonic distortions; silky, which tends to roll off low frequencies, etc.). The analog signal is further distorted in each step of the recording process by equalization filters, compressors, and processes used in recording. The process of recording to analog tape further alters the original signal through the use of noise reduction filters (applied to reduce the effects of analog tape hiss) and the inability of analog tape to record and reproduce an actual 20 Hz to 20 KHz frequency response and the harmonic distortions caused by tape along with the limited dynamic range. Add to this that every time the tape is run past the play heads it sheds some of the particles on the tape and loses more of the recorded signal and the tape (because it is a magnetic storage medium) will transfer the analog signal between layers of tape when it is stored distorting the analog signal further. Transfer of the analog signal is even further distorted when transferring it to vinyl and each time a vinyl record is played the analog signal gets more and more distorted. Digital, on the other hand, eliminates much of the distortions of the original analog signal involved in the "analog" process, and though digital does have distortions, digital more accurately depicts the original analog signal.

[@alancrane4693]

Can you repeat that 😅

[@JonAnderhub]

@@alancrane4693 Next time I'll do it in analog and it won't sound so harsh😁

[@MarcelNL]

I'm in serious, serious doubt between first buying a sub or a good DAC for my system. I have floorstanding speakers that go down to 30Hz that used to be really high-end many years ago, and a cheap DAC that can do 32 bit 192kHz. (Steinberg UR12) My main problem is the lack of body, authority and warm midtones. One moment I'm convinced of getting one, the next moment I'm convinced of getting the other. Over time of course I will get 2 subs. (SVS SB 1000 pro since they're affordable, small and musical and they go quite deep.) But I have to save for things.

[@bluered3228]

Sub. No contest.

[@richardsmith2721]

What do you think of Daft Punk's love letter to Georgio Moroder?

[@alancrane4693]

Georgio moroder the God of disco a pure pioneer. Donna summer four seasons

[@hassanzakaria730]

Dear Sir, Can I connect the output from turntable (of course Analog signal) to DAC then to amp? Or this will consider wast of time. THANX

[@ZeusTheTornado]

I'm not Paul, nor am I an audiophile expert, but I think it would be a waste of time

[@bluered3228]

Turntables are analog. I don't even think it's possible, let alone use full.

[@gdownz1044]

I wonder if Paul was with Georgio when he recorded Son of my Father 🤔

[@user-pc8tb7hg1lHandlesRDumb]

is an electric guitar a dac?

[@King_Dusty_Of_Pookytopia]

Hello Anthony. I live in Tempe. What's up?

[@stonefree1911]

Well explained Paul.

[@davidfromamerica1871]

It’s a thing that will make your music sound more musical. 😎 OH, I forgot. Sign read. Used Cows for sale.😀

[@gage4375]

I have a crown 2002 connected to a smsl sounds good

[@NeilDSouza7]

Ask Paul McGowan !!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@L-Noble.YT_Hi.Res-Soundminds]

It's a little box.

[@q8ymhd]

👏🏻👏🏻

[@endrizo]

you just google these kind of basic questions

[@TheTruthIsTheWay11]

You COULD, but then you wouldn't be able to enjoy four minutes of Paul answering this question.

[@endrizo]

@@TheTruthIsTheWay11 haaa yeah..

[@alancrane4693]

Do you need a DAC for that 🤪

[@kindnick58]

E = MC2

[@NoEgg4u]

@2:36 "...that move a needle, and that needle as it moves..." So here we have a viewer asking for some basics; yearning to learn. And our host tells him that records are played with a "needle". Folks, stereos do not have needles. Needles are for sewing and flu shots. The part that rubs in the groove of your records is called a "stylus". For a host that prides himself on teaching and sharing his expertise with the world, he insists on spreading his "needle" misinformation to people that will now actually believe that they play records with a needle. Our host does this in many of his videos. Yet, he knows that it is a stylus. Is he not able to pronounce "stylus"? If not that, then what is it that compels him to his viewers that it is a needle? What is it that compels him to mislead thousands of viewers, including people that are new to this hobby and are yearning to learn?

[@HongNguyen-my5oq]

DAC = Down hill assist control

[@alancrane4693]

🤣 Brilliant

[@ChiefExecutiveOrbiter]

Oh god

[@anthonyegan59]

Why bother...just stick to LP and tape.

[@geddylee501]

especially tape 👍

[@cletusberkeley9441]

Nothing beats tape!❤

[@scottyo64]

Still have love for my CDs as well.

[@erdemkaya6472]

Preach brother!

[@edfort5704]

I prefer wax cylinders, thanks.