What makes a good DAC?

Quite often I see people seeking for the cheapest digital to analog converter using a given DAC chip. For they think that the DAC chip is the only factor influencing the sound quality. Well, they couldn’t be further from the truth…..
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[@ranbymonkeys2384]

A couple of months ago I got to looking at the circuit board of my DAC and saw 2 cheap blue film capacitors looking back at me. They were .05 cent 1uF metallized Chinese film caps, so I replaced them with $2.00 10x bigger in size 1uF polypropylene film caps and the difference was incredible and amazing to me. I had 80's music on and the synthesizer sounds came through with warmth and sweet goodness. I still can't believe the difference. Companies don't use them because they are expensive and big so..

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Sure mods can do great things (if you know what you're doing)

[@ranbymonkeys2384]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel replacing a capacitor with the same value capacitor is hardly a mod, quality components make a huge difference

[@kevinbeckenham3872]

Thank you for very good documentary on D.A.C's; it is nice get good honest advice without someone trying to sell you a product.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Thanks for watching!

[@giorgioisgaming5814]

You are the master of understandable explanations 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Very well done

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏻

[@Fileguru]

"if you can't explain it simply you don't understand it well enough" seems to be the case here. Hans knows his stuff. 👍🏻

[@LoiteringReaper]

The ending. "Feel the force, feel the force."

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

😀

[@-nepherim]

Outstanding overview, thank you.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏻

[@alexrichardson6461]

Dear Hans. Thank you so much for the many videos I have seen recently, they have virtually brought me update date on audio systems after many years of analogue. So much so, that I felt compelled to do my bit financially. Thanks again.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Thanks Alex, it's much appreciated

[@gerardvanderschaar7962]

Wow Hans, tjhis is my first time checking in with your channel - this is next level stuff. Excellent explanations, way deeper than any I have heard so far on these subjects. Thanks a lot ! Immediate follow + like !

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Welcome aboard!

[@navanski]

I thought it was something else making me deaf, now i know it's the tonic water. Phew, what a relief!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

😄

[@oohtob6685]

Me too 😂🤣

[@haloons]

Hans a lot of good knowledge of how it works, thanks

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏻

[@josecostadias3723]

Great wisdom. Now I understand the importance of listening good music. It is only possible with good equipment and knowledge. Thank you Hans.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

My pleasure

[@dosselectronicspracticalwo8395]

this is the best explanation I could understand easily. the high theory is explained in a simple way. I am sorry to say your words are little difficult to grasp so I have ignored your videos earlier. but that nullifies as the speech is displayed below which make it superb. now I want to go through all your videos and learn a lot from you. thanks a lot.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Wow, thanks

[@johnmarchington3146]

Many thanks, Hans, for another video full of wonderful insight.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@johnmarchington3146]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Hans, you mentioned PS Audio in your video and I was going to tell you that I have recently purchased the DirectStream Memory Player and DAC from PS Audio (I believe they are building them as I write) and will use the I²S HDMI interface to connect the two. I'm obviously hoping for great results with SACDs, CDs and files. (I download rather than stream).

[@DavidslvPT]

I just learned so much in 20min, thank you very much!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Great to hear!

[@zawatowski]

What a great knowledgeable chap! Clearly you know your business! Thanks for sharing

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏽

[@grahamstrahle4010]

Best explanation of this subject. Jitter is hard to ‘hear’ unlike old-time noise, distortion or frequency response anomalies, however its effects degrade the listening experience and are critically important to know. Thank you.

[@grahamstrahle4010]

Interesting. I think I can sometimes hear jitter but am never sure. Smear, eroded transients, overall muddle - 'digital fog', is that it? I'd like to hear a few A-B comparisons that show no-jitter against jitter - that would be really instructive.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Yes, but hard to provide over KZbin due to the lossy codec used.

[@saphiregin]

Thanks Hans, great stuff!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

My pleasure!

[@Hineyhejmadi]

great video. very honest and unbiased.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏽

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏽

[@dcrook232323]

Hans, 👍 I'm not sure of how many of your genuinely informative & well delivered vids I've view since your start-up years ago but, until late last year, it's had to be 90% of your total offerings. Note, I simply took a "break" last December roughly from digital audio & HPs & DAC/Amps to revitalize & expand my 20 yr vinyl love & collection. Both great adventures!! I've updated my ROON subscription and.....yes, back in the wonderful world of HPs, DACs, streaming DAPs, etc. I say all the above to frame the following complement; your instructional vids re: digital/analogue audio are a requirement for all enthusiasts regardless of experience. 👍 Re-watching some of your older vids along with your newer 2020 catalog over the last few weeks, quickly generated the enthusiasm we had for all-things-digital-audio before the hiatus. Well done. 💪 **Like your light blue buttoned down shirt, am glad to see you've kept the format + valuable info the same!! All the best Hans.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏻

[@sneekylinux]

Nice one Hans...nuff said

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏻

[@thiagotrevisandesouza6895]

Congratulations !!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏻

[@beachcomber2008]

I'm new to you, and liked this. Subbed.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Welcome

[@PauReydefaura]

Nice wrap up about current DACs technology. Any plans to soon reviewing Chord Qutest?

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I understood it about the same as the Hugo 2, which I have reviewed. Just not portable.

[@davidstein9129]

Great video.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Thanks!

[@lawrencerasmus]

Great explanation

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Glad it was helpful!

[@fabrizio2738]

great video thank You!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Glad you liked it!

[@seanmangan2769]

Thanks Hans!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏻

[@Digalog]

Nice one Hans! Bedankt neem ik aan :)

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏻

[@VisciousHippo]

Excellent video. Your English is flawless, including use of colloquial phrases. Impressive. One question on your video. You mention that the power supply is "perhaps the most part of a DAC". This makes perfect sense to me, and is reflected in the many well reviewed DACs, with larger power supplies and consequently larger housings, such as PS-Audio Directstream, Shiit Ygdrassil, Denafrips Terminator, Audio-dg R7 etc. However one thing peplexes me is that the range of DACs by Chord are all very small, and yet highly regarded. Even the Dave is relatively small. I cannot work out how Chord manage to compete successfully with these small power supplies. Could it be that clever engineering and FPGA coding can eliminate power distortions, or is it perhaps that reviewers add in a good quality external power supply. Is this something you have ever considered?

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I still have Chordette and that one sounds clearly better using an sBooster power supply. The Hugo and Hugo II I reviewed used batteries and then the power supply is only used to charge the battery. The Dave I have not reviewed (I have heard it though and like it very much). For as far as I know it can't be used with an external power supply. I presume that they use a very voor switch mode power supply. When done properly it has the advantage of being able to deliver instant current.

[@idolhanz9842]

Professor! Master!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏻

[@anasevi9456]

Thanks for this video, and I have seen a lot of the same absolutism constantly pushed on the internet: _"External USB DAC is better; even if your speakers are not the best, even if the source is not the best"_ edit: Nothing in life is so simple. And carriage before the horse and all that. Seen the same sorts recommend quite terrible headphones.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏻

[@marksmith7930]

The question what DAC is the best usually favors the new chips .I have 3 DACs a 15 year old benchmark,15 year old Tri Vista, and 30 year old Krell. I love the clarity of the 30 year old Krell the best ,second the Tri Vista, third benchmark .The Krell and Tri Vista have seriously built separate analog and digital power supplies .i believe its not the chip that makes a DAC sound good, there is more to it .

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

👍🏻

[@LB-pp7pu]

Hello, what a great video. Thanks, I've subscribed to the channel. I found this video while I was doing some DAC listening today. I have a full RME setup: 2xADI 8 ds, 1xADI 8 pro and a DIgiface USB interface that I also use as mater clock (ADAT connections - 44.1 khz). I was making a shootout between the Digiface phones dac and the ADI 8 Pro dac. The Digiface is about 20 years newer than the ADI 8 pro so I thought it would sound better but is usb powered and the outputs are 2 unbalanced ts jacks, the Adi 8 pro is properly powered and has balanced trs outputs, so I have no idea about which could be better. By a listening test I feel the Digiface sounds sharper on the transients and the highs and more compressed in general, the Adi 8 pro seems more dynamic and with an extended low end. What do you think about it? Greetings from Florence, Italy

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

It’s been a long time I have listened to thanADI 8 and I haven’t listened to the RME at all. So I can’t say. Sorry 😐

[@LB-pp7pu]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Ok, thanks anyway!

[@augustinanthony3903]

Good video

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏽

[@okay1904]

Excellent

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

🙏🏻

[@Shoaibexpert]

Great informative video. I need to ask if a decent DAC (say the SMSL SU 8) with the ESS Chip and Femto clock able to correct optical input jitter completely (such as that from Chromcast Audio SPDIF/Toslink output which is known to have jitter issues)?

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I really can’t say since I didn’t review it.

[@Shoaibexpert]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel That's fine but just as a general info... Do modern DACs correct optical jitter? Thank you

[@saucebosspl]

Shoaib Ahmed most of DACs use PLL which does not cancel jitter. It works like a jitter low pass filter.

[@Shoaibexpert]

@@saucebosspl I take then using a jittery optical input isn't a good idea. Though it's audibility is debatable. Best to stick to USB input then. Thanks for your reply mate.

[@dsqaudio]

When auditioning/testing a dac and or streamer, would you consider listening to a streamer that has analog outputs and digital outputs from both outputs. That is to say, listen to tidal on the streamer for example via its analog out then listen via your dac of choice in setup 1,2,3. I think there may be streamers with great features but their analog out not very nice. Example I love the Sonos connect but I do not like its analog output quality. What if the SC Was auditioned using its output into a Mytek dac for example.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I can assure you that the digital output of the Sonos Connect is as bad as the analog outputs. It has a very poor clock so the jitter will kill the music.

[@gregbill3263]

Thanks!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

👍🏼

[@osliverpool]

Oh no, I have to give up having a gin & tonic when I'm relaxing and listening to music! Just, please, don't tell me that whisky has a detrimental effect on hearing too ;-) Anyway, thanks for the very helpful channel.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

No, you better drink whiskey than Indian tonic🤪

[@beachcomber2008]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel But a G & T is oh so nice. :)

[@harrisarp3841]

Excellent informations Mr Hans.Can you please make a review for 'SPL Marc One'? its not a pure Dac (it is a recording cotroller with DAC) but i hear a very good things about it and it's also made in Germany. Thank you so much!!!

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I will check it out

[@harrisarp3841]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Thank you sir!!

[@alcaponemafia]

Your information is very good but it would be a lot better if you could do diagrams showing the differences in the quality of DAC inputs and outputs. To try and remember what you have said is not that easy. But thanks for sharing.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

😗

[@petepapas4158]

Any experience with Gold Note Dac's in particular the DS-10

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

No, sorry

[@tumblebeat9008]

Daarom drink ik geen Tonic! Weer iets geleerd dankjewel Hans

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

😁

[@tomasznowicki9427]

Hans have you ever considered reviewing RME dacs ?

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I have considered about 150 DAC's over the last few months and I can do only 50 videos a year....😞

[@tomasznowicki9427]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel I can only imagine :} Love your work.

[@DG-qq6gz]

May the Force be with you. 👍

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

😃

[@roquesoprano913]

Hi Hans, Wxad-10 in a very similar sist to your setup3. (only streaming flacs from PC via wifi and 320kbps spotify premium) following your higiene steps and satisfied with amp and speaks. always looking for better clarity separation transparency... ¿do you think it would be a good option to search for another DAC. From South America, Thank you so much for all your lessons !

[@FSXgta]

I can't hear difference between 320kbps Spotify and Tidal 1400kbps, maybe it's my dac/amp or my headphones.. I don't know

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

The Hans Beekhuyzen Channel • 6 seconds ago There is a difference so why wouldn't you be able to hear it. It's only if the equipment has poor quality that the difference is masked.

[@nickvankreij1626]

Hans, Ik gebruik mijn Nvidia Shield nu als streamer/mediaspeler via USB aangesloten op een Parasound Halo Integrated. De Shield kan gebruik maken van een externe dac via usb in mijn geval de ingebouwde ESS Sabre 9018k2m van de Parasound. High-resolution audio up-sample to 24-bit/192 kHz over USB Is de Shield een geschikt apparaat hier voor kwa hardware of kan ik beter investeren in een bijvoorbeeld een Mac mini ?

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I have no hands on experience with the Shield so I can’t say.

[@Maninthesky19]

Do you recommend to use a DAC instead of the DAC of my integrated amp;

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Depends on the amp’s quality

[@Maninthesky19]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannelAs you have said on the video DAC from the shelf provide low quality instead of DAC especially manufactured. How could I know whether is worthwhile to spend buying an external DAC or purchase a new amp with a better DAC. My system comprises lumin u1 mini transport and cambridge audio CXA81 amp

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

You never know for sure. It depends on your stereo, your acoustics, your auditory system and your financial position. For some €/$ 500 is half a years savings for others it might be skipping a weekend on the town.

[@Maninthesky19]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel I am thinking about denafrips ares II or RME ad2 dac

[@ohnonate]

@@Maninthesky19 i have a bluesound node connected to a Denafrips Ares 2 connected to Elac Navis ARB 51 and there is no sound difference compared to the Bluesound node DAC

[@scrum86]

Hans Sorry, Because this video has no subtitles? Regards

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

Sorry, my fault. Fixed now.

[@scrum86]

@@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel Thank you very much for the speed, Thank you for your channel, I have learned a lot with you and I continue to do so! REGARDS!

[@tellthemborissentyou]

Quinine is very good for taking away the bad taste of French Cauliflowers.

[@TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel]

I love French cauliflower - when prepared well. It’s just like audio. 😄