Sir, I just turned 80, started listening to music at age 15 (1955 - Rock n' Roll era) I learnt more in 31 minutes 29 seconds on your video, than for the rest of my life - you explained complex electronics in simple easy to understand terms - so informative - thank you - music is a passion, it's drugs, always wanting for more *
but him being against measurements is ignorant. imagine buying 1kg rice in the market without it being measured, that's sounds absurd in this day and age. every other thing in the world which is bought is measured to ensure fair play. being against measurements is so ignorant.
I am sure you have better things to do, but honestly in all the time I have in this hobby I haven't hear a better explanation of digital music and DACs. You are truly and excellent communicator. Please publish more!
I have been an enthusiast of hi-fi audio for nearly 30 years. You, sir, within the span of just over 30 minutes, have greatly enhanced my appreciation of this hobby through your very educational and well-presented video. I thank you!
Same here. I've been using a computer as a music source for some time, but have recently been giving more serious thought to the digital side instead of just plugging cables and letting it just happen.
This explanations are what every guide should have. Understandable and giving more in-depth knowledge on why better tech is actually better. great work!
Like some of the other guys who left you a comment, I’m an older audiophile and committed analoguist (source is a Linn Sondek and will remain so). That said, I am astounded that your guide isn’t up in the 000,000 of hits. A remarkable piece of work which you should be really proud of. The ‘whole DAC thing’ explained in 30 mins. Cogent, concise and thoroughly enjoyable. You should be getting more hits than the ‘Big Guys’ (we know who they are!) Thanks again
I am a recently retired (resigned in protest) Associate Prof. of English Communication (Jissen Women's College, Tokyo, Japan) ... with an undergrad in biology, graduate degree in linguistics, and lots of reading in philosophy of science, math, and language (Kuhn, Popper, etc.). Just wanted to throw out that introduction to justify my weighing in with others here. Your explanation is thought out and expressed in rare clarity and awareness of the audience. To their detriment, institutions in this publish-or-perish era of STEM specialization do not usually nurture or appreciate your kind of skill. Though I am closer to an amateur jazz guitarist than a 'true audiophile', upvoted, subscribed, and notifications turned on, with gusto! Cheers from Japan! - steve
I'm not reading any of the comments before I make one of my own. First of all, excellent presentation and explanation of the workings of a DAC. My DAC recommendation is the FiiO KA3, which is a 32bit/768kHz DSD512 DAC at just around 90 bucks. Yeah, you heard me correct! Look on Amazon. Just to prove your point even further about people who think a DAC is just a DAC at 5 or 10 dollars, they don't have a friggin clue! Take a look at the product comparison sheet on a Dune Ultra and a Dune Max Vision 4K player. One cost $1450 and the other cost $630. They are exactly the same and both have all the same features except for the chassis. The one thing that is different is the DAC. The DAC in the Ultra is the ES9038PRO, costing almost a grand more than the Max, HELLO! I believe this is the same DAC in the OPPO 205, if I'm not mistaken. You know what the 205 sells for on eBay? Thanks for the upload and I seldom subscribe but you have a worthy channel. Keep up the great work.
Simply put ... this is probably the best introduction to DACs I have encountered. Couldn't stop watching until it was over - and you did it for the most part by simply speaking into a camera. However, your few graphics were excellent, well selected, and much appreciated! I can now rest content at being a simple, but happy, audio peasant! 😊 Brilliant and thank you!
Wow,what a great lesson. As an engineer of electronics, all of the theory was already known to me. But considering a DAC a musical instrument opened a totally new way of looking at DACs. Thanks so much for this great video!
Excellent explanation in the first 3 minutes. Edit: I stand corrected. This is 30 minutes of an incredibly high quality overview of DACs. In the last half hour I learned an immense amount that cleared up a bunch of questions I had. Thank you.
Blown away! You just made a friend for life! Like almost everybody else in the stream, I am overwhelmed by the clarity of your explanation. I also am “old“ at 63 years, and never until just now understood what a digital music file was, or what a DAC is. Thank you so much! Can’t wait to listen to you teach further over time! And I love your mathematical equation for “force“ on your T-shirt! May the force always be with you, as well!
thank you for "DACs don't convert music, they make music." I've been trying to understand the differences between DACs in reviews and in white-papers and this really helps me to make that leap.
This comment section is one of the most wholesome sections on youtube!!I'm new to this industry/hobby and want to get into music production and am pretty young.This vid definitely is more informative than any other video on the same subject.Thank you for the video!
I finally feel that I understand what a DAC is about. You speak in plain English and have opened doors into an audiophile culture that I’ve sometimes found difficult and opaque to penetrate. Many thanks for this video!
You Sir are a fantastic teacher. Full of passion and enthusiasm and of course, very knowledgable of your subject. You made a complicated subject (for me) very easy to understand. Thank you.
I almost made the mistake of not clicking on this video thinking “Oh no, not another intro to dacs video!” This is now, in my mind, required viewing for anyone who wants to have a good understanding of how to approach the sticky, myth-inducing business of digital music in the hifi arena. Simply explained, perfect amount of technical detail, and never “dumbed down”. Bravo!
I spent an hour and a half trying to scour the internet for information you were able to give me in a half hour, not to mention you are so much better at explaining everything.
only six minutes in and i’ve clocked in thirty minutes on this video. this video goes way beyond any beneficial information i’ve received for music and i can’t thank you enough for your way of concentration information in such a methodical sense. thank you very much!
Friend,...all I can say is well done! I've been an electronic tech for 35 years. A great deal of what you were sharing took me back to my early training days. I do not remember it being this much fun and engaging to listen to. I was waiting for you to drop Mr. Nyquist' name. My point is that you held my attention and your delivery was first rate.
After buying my first dac and not really knowing what to expect it to do for my modest system your description of how a dac adds to the audio experience was spot on Thanks for such a comprehensive explanation of dacs and what they do. Dan K
This was a great video! LOVED the part at the end with the chart and description of how much each category of audio enthusiast spends on equipment…absolute GOLD!!!!
I personally think yours is the best explanation of what a DAC is as a whole and how it works that I have ever heard. I have referenced your video in dozens of online conversations where people want to learn what a DAC is. Bravo! Additionally, have you created a video discerning the differences of delta-sigma, resistor ladder, and FPGA DACs and how they convert digital data to a wave form? With the resurgence of r2r DACs this question comes up again and again in forums. Keep up the good work!
Less than a week ago Id given no real thought for a Dac as I watched endless videos of streamers and cd players/transports adding them and crossing off my list...than someone said the Dac should be your most important piece of that puzzle. I feel so fortunate to have found your video...I could have made some very costly mistakes and didn't really know how to navigate comparing one dac to another . Now I feel confident enough to call my local hifi dealer and give him a lesson on drawing shooting stars and listening for plugged nostrils in music we demo😅😅. Thanks so much for such an awesome explanation and sharing your expertise with us mere immortals😝
If you "zoom in" far enough, everything is discrete and quantifiable to a certain point when it comes to electrical signals. The amount of electrons passing through "analog" components can be quantized resulting in quantification noise, same goes for the molecules of PVC inside the grooves of "analog" vinyl.
Well I didn’t expect to learn about bit rates and digital music this morning, I’m kinda excited about it, it’s been 20 years of listening to all kinds of total crap and the finest of music on computers and cd’s, and also tape and radio, and I never knew or cared how good or bad, as long as it sounded good, so this is awesome!
Do an amp video just like this! Love it! I didn't even felt half an hour go past, loved how extremely interesting and extremely complicated information was so simply explained.
wow... I finally understood what a DAC is. I have listened to 100 of youtube vids but found them too complex as those people talked in 0s and 1s. Finally stumbled on this vid that perfectly explains what a DAC is in understandable English. Thanks so much.
Thank you sir!!! You just answered my questions on DAC's that has been racking my brain for probably the last 2 -3 years now. I have Dynaudio studio monitors for my PC and trying to find the right DAC that will get me the best sound I can afford. Best 31 minutes I have came across in a very long time!!
First class explanation, really helped me appreciate what a complex process the DAC performs, step by step. It was very helpful to explain the ’rounding’ that takes place in the analogue to digital processing as this helped me complete the jigsaw puzzle of what the DAC is doing. I totally agree that not all violins have the same qualities, and of course that applies to the wood being used as well 😊. A big thank you from me.
This comment is redundant. As others have stated the same thing I'm about to. Excellent video I've never heard DAC explained more succinctly and to the point so that most people could understand. Please keep up the good work!
Same. I've worked in broadcasting and around sound since 1984, with digital since 1996, and have never head it explained better. This video is where I'll send people who ask me how it works instead of trying to describe it to them myself.
Sir, you just blew the theory out the window of some of the comments here that say all DAC's sound the same - and "don't waste your money" - I had a $21 DAC, upgraded to a $80 DAC what a huge improvement, now I want a $279 Schiit Modi DAC Multibit - as they say "let your ears do the talking"
I am looking for a DAC to upgrade my hifi system. Thank you for your clear and easy to explain the subject and a great way helping me to decide what kind of DAC to look for.
Very Impressed. I have been looking for and outboard DAC for sometime now. It has been one the most difficult tasks in my audio listening journey. It is not like buying a set of speakers, or even a good Amp, or something you can sink your teeth into. It is a vague notion of sonic improvement. My wife asked the question, "How do you know it will sound better than your current DAC" ???? I answered stunned, I really don't know. I'll have to listen!!! AND then, How many times have we all listened to a demo, comparison, and just flipped a coin! Trying not to let a known brand or price influence our judgement. Thanks for some additional help in this confusing journey. Robert TN
You have done a amazing presentation. Well narrated , great command of language and took DAC to pieces and explained it in very simple terms. You should do more videos on all in one streamer DAC vs separate DAC /Separate streamer. Lot of times one reads a lot about theoretical calculation which really does nothing much to inaudible details. I agree, if you are into hifi and looking for minute details, then investing in a good DAC will tremendously improve the sonic quality.
A very very good explanation of what the DAC is doing. of course everyone can easily understand that it converts a digital to analogue signal, but what it really means only is clear because of your superb example with the circle!!!
I appreciate this clear explanation. I inherited and am using a nice pair of JBL L88 2 way speakers given me after my dad passed away. I remember when he bought them new in 1972 and he explained then why he didn't pay more for the L100 3 ways. "After living next to the flight line on a B-29 base (when he was in the war) I honestly couldn't hear the difference". All things are relative.
18.00 is an exercise I learnt from you. Best way to visualise and judge audio and also preserve memory of how things sounded. Very useful when comparing two sources.
I honestly couldn't imagine the topic being handled in a more accessible and comprehensive way -- absolute hat off to you for this video, that was engaging as it comes. I noticed you haven't uploaded in a while so I hope that doesn't mark the end of the channel. Either way, thanks and all the best!
This may be from a long time ago, yet, having heard several other videos on DAC basics, this is the most interesting, detailed and beautiful- yes, the romantic poetic way in which you frame the musical experience is inspiring; and your art is pretty good!
You are a genius! You know the subject inside out that’s why you could explain it in simple English. Less knowledgeable guy would have sprinkled all the technobabble of bits, bytes, FPGAs blah blah... truly impressive!
Hi, you did a very nice job in explaining what does a dac do besides the conversion. Yes when you are well into hi end gear then a good dac makes a world of differance and if not, one can ignore it as you want hear almost any dif. through the speackes. If one of your amps for example is a Dan D’Agostino or Pass Labs or a Hegel h 590 or a Boulder feeding from an Amr transport or Metronome and so on , a good dac makes a difference that one could easly hear without even having to try. A few blind tests in my private music room with ten listerners from all levels showed me that when the gear is a hi end one ,it does make a world of dif. espacially if your speackers are at the Focal Grande Utopia EM EVO level for example or above . Ofc. even with cheapper hi end gear it still helps in detail , I would say a great deal.Aslong as the ext. dac is better then the internal dac used one will hear the dif. on a hi end gear.
I must agree with all the gushing comments on your very skillful ability to explain a very complex topic in a clear and understandable manner, you really have a gift. They should use you as a model of how to be a good teacher in college. I subscribed because I love to learn about how things work in just about every category imaginable, I have a feeling you have many more interesting videos that I now can't wait to explore. Extremely well done sir, keep doing what you do best.
THis video is gold, and about 27 minutes on I'm just laughing And 5 years from now, I'm not laughing anymore, because I just spent the rest of my relatives money and I'm desperate about finding music that's been actually mastered properly.
Thought it was cool that you reference with Random Access Memories. I’m a sound engineer and it’s my go-to reference when tuning a PA system or mixing in the studio. One of the best sounding pop albums ever made in my opinion.
Excellent. I have always thought of DACs as music creators instead of a mere converter. The word converter implies the result of the conversion is always the same. A DAC is a performer and the digital files are the music partitures. Different performers will sound different even while reading the same partitures.
Have listened to quite a few DAC what, how, and why videos. This one finally works for me. Sadly the last graph put me where I thought I was, lower end of entry + level. At least I have a name for my prey. Now the hunt begins!
It’s cool seeing how different people can envision soundstage and gain in different parts of a song. For me it’s almost like an overhead circle, or a lissajous pattern on an oscillator, with a parametric EQ representing where the sound sits. It’s not perfectly accurate obviously but it really helps when trying to mix and master!
Trully enjoyed your presentation. I have been buying and modifying dacs massively for the last few years. Luckily I know an audiophile engineer and mechanic who doesn't mind my craze
Thanks so much! I appreciated the thorough quantum-to-macro progression of the video. You have a detailed yet approachable style of explanation, which I love.
Finally! The scientific explanation of why my Reel 2 Reel tape machine "feels better" than the digital approach. This explanation is the sword that slays that old dragon of an argument...and thank you for that!!!
Simple, concise and much like a good quality DAC your video captured all of the essential information and presented it in a format that was pleasing to my ear, you instantly earned a new subscriber. Keep up the good work!!!
I enjoyed watching this. You are good at explaining in depth info most people don’t think about. I have a couple DAC’s. Aune t1 mk2 usb tube dac and schiit modi 3 with headphone amp. I own Klipsch La scalas and Cornscala’s. I went through many many components to get my la scalas to sing like my fathers until my dac purchase. Best component I feel I have bought to improve quality. You got a thumbs up from this guy. I look forward to more of your videos.
Get yourself an EMU 1212 m pcie audio card ! Studio quality conversion 198 khz 24 bits 120 db signal to noise ratio and balanced in/out. Same dacs as in Protools systems, comparable to the RME you show. For about $ 80 bucks or less on e-bay. Good audio does not have to cost a lot !
@@Cory989 Native instruments Komplete One or Two , Bur Brown convertors 198/24 max ,usb ( For creating music to slow but for listening ok )The headphone output sounds awesome !
Sir, I just turned 80, started listening to music at age 15 (1955 - Rock n' Roll era) I learnt more in 31 minutes 29 seconds on your video, than for the rest of my life - you explained complex electronics in simple easy to understand terms - so informative - thank you - music is a passion, it's drugs, always wanting for more *
Hell yeah roge. look up the band archspire. they are heavy. bang your head to it.
@@David-rj1ru thank you Sir - i'm gona' check them out
So glad you enjoyed it!
Rogelio Gamboa
i Started with a German 1950 ish realtape, replaced that for a Sony Digital Beta machine.
your are right on! Like you I'm 80, but I started playing and listening music when I was 9 year old.
I was totally blown away by the cogent yet simple and straight forward explanations you presented in this video.
Well done sir. Well done!
Agreed!
Thank you!
YXclaim Agency LLC ir
Yes good explanation and objective view it seems ....but the comment on shiit gear ruined it at least for me.
but him being against measurements is ignorant. imagine buying 1kg rice in the market without it being measured, that's sounds absurd in this day and age. every other thing in the world which is bought is measured to ensure fair play. being against measurements is so ignorant.
Imagine how much more well-educated everyone would be if things were explained as well as DACs are in this video. Amazing job here man.
This video is the most technical dac explanation that i have ever come across.
Well done on a entertaining video.
I am sure you have better things to do, but honestly in all the time I have in this hobby I haven't hear a better explanation of digital music and DACs. You are truly and excellent communicator. Please publish more!
I have been an enthusiast of hi-fi audio for nearly 30 years. You, sir, within the span of just over 30 minutes, have greatly enhanced my appreciation of this hobby through your very educational and well-presented video. I thank you!
This is easily the best explanation of digital music and DAC mechanics that I have ever seen. Amazing.
This is the best Explanation of a dac or any other audio component that I ever heard of period and I've heard/seen quite a few videos🤪🤗😉
I AGREE
I couldn't agree more!! This video really says it ALL about DACs! 👌👌👌🏆
His opening couple minutes might just explain why vinyl has never gone away
Same here. I've been using a computer as a music source for some time, but have recently been giving more serious thought to the digital side instead of just plugging cables and letting it just happen.
@@henrylee1214 Smart move man! 👌👌🎵
This man deserves a medal... perfect balance between detail, explanation and myth busting
Your diagram of Poor DAC/Good DAC to explain the differences of what you hear from one DAC vs. another is perfect!
The examples given were so good. I don't think I've heard anyone explain something this passionately and thoroughly before.
This explanations are what every guide should have. Understandable and giving more in-depth knowledge on why better tech is actually better. great work!
Like some of the other guys who left you a comment, I’m an older audiophile and committed analoguist (source is a Linn Sondek and will remain so). That said, I am astounded that your guide isn’t up in the 000,000 of hits. A remarkable piece of work which you should be really proud of. The ‘whole DAC thing’ explained in 30 mins. Cogent, concise and thoroughly enjoyable. You should be getting more hits than the ‘Big Guys’ (we know who they are!) Thanks again
I am a recently retired (resigned in protest) Associate Prof. of English Communication (Jissen Women's College, Tokyo, Japan) ... with an undergrad in biology, graduate degree in linguistics, and lots of reading in philosophy of science, math, and language (Kuhn, Popper, etc.). Just wanted to throw out that introduction to justify my weighing in with others here. Your explanation is thought out and expressed in rare clarity and awareness of the audience. To their detriment, institutions in this publish-or-perish era of STEM specialization do not usually nurture or appreciate your kind of skill. Though I am closer to an amateur jazz guitarist than a 'true audiophile', upvoted, subscribed, and notifications turned on, with gusto! Cheers from Japan! - steve
I'm not reading any of the comments before I make one of my own. First of all, excellent presentation and explanation of the workings of a DAC. My DAC recommendation is the FiiO KA3, which is a 32bit/768kHz DSD512 DAC at just around 90 bucks. Yeah, you heard me correct! Look on Amazon.
Just to prove your point even further about people who think a DAC is just a DAC at 5 or 10 dollars, they don't have a friggin clue! Take a look at the product comparison sheet on a Dune Ultra and a Dune Max Vision 4K player. One cost $1450 and the other cost $630. They are exactly the same and both have all the same features except for the chassis. The one thing that is different is the DAC. The DAC in the Ultra is the ES9038PRO, costing almost a grand more than the Max, HELLO! I believe this is the same DAC in the OPPO 205, if I'm not mistaken. You know what the 205 sells for on eBay? Thanks for the upload and I seldom subscribe but you have a worthy channel. Keep up the great work.
Man I felt like I was listening to a Professor. Everything was explained really well. Looking forward to watching more of your videos.
Simply put ... this is probably the best introduction to DACs I have encountered. Couldn't stop watching until it was over - and you did it for the most part by simply speaking into a camera. However, your few graphics were excellent, well selected, and much appreciated!
I can now rest content at being a simple, but happy, audio peasant! 😊
Brilliant and thank you!
That was genuinely one of the most useful, informative and well presented videos I have seen in ages, thank you so much for this!
Hard not to appreciate the detailed and crystal clear of knowledge of this fine man.
Thank you Sir.
Wow,what a great lesson. As an engineer of electronics, all of the theory was already known to me. But considering a DAC a musical instrument opened a totally new way of looking at DACs. Thanks so much for this great video!
Excellent explanation in the first 3 minutes.
Edit: I stand corrected. This is 30 minutes of an incredibly high quality overview of DACs. In the last half hour I learned an immense amount that cleared up a bunch of questions I had. Thank you.
Wow. I’m so glad I saved my vinyl records from the 70’s - 80’s. Thanks for breaking it down for first timers about DACs.
Blown away! You just made a friend for life! Like almost everybody else in the stream, I am overwhelmed by the clarity of your explanation. I also am “old“ at 63 years, and never until just now understood what a digital music file was, or what a DAC is. Thank you so much! Can’t wait to listen to you teach further over time!
And I love your mathematical equation for “force“ on your T-shirt! May the force always be with you, as well!
thank you for "DACs don't convert music, they make music." I've been trying to understand the differences between DACs in reviews and in white-papers and this really helps me to make that leap.
This comment section is one of the most wholesome sections on youtube!!I'm new to this industry/hobby and want to get into music production and am pretty young.This vid definitely is more informative than any other video on the same subject.Thank you for the video!
I finally feel that I understand what a DAC is about. You speak in plain English and have opened doors into an audiophile culture that I’ve sometimes found difficult and opaque to penetrate. Many thanks for this video!
brilliantly straightforward, informative, understandable and not patronizing - thank you
This was absolutely the most informative and we'll thought out videos about dacs I've ever seen. Great video bro
You Sir are a fantastic teacher. Full of passion and enthusiasm and of course, very knowledgable of your subject. You made a complicated subject (for me) very easy to understand. Thank you.
I almost made the mistake of not clicking on this video thinking “Oh no, not another intro to dacs video!” This is now, in my mind, required viewing for anyone who wants to have a good understanding of how to approach the sticky, myth-inducing business of digital music in the hifi arena. Simply explained, perfect amount of technical detail, and never “dumbed down”. Bravo!
My half hour well spent. Thanks for the detailed "introduction"!
Introduction, my ass. I’m completely worn out by this fantastic dive into DACs!
Your approach of teaching is amazing. Everything in a nutshell. WOW 😳
I spent an hour and a half trying to scour the internet for information you were able to give me in a half hour, not to mention you are so much better at explaining everything.
Great job. Well done, sir. You explained that very very well. My wife listened beside me and understood it all. Bravo!!
only six minutes in and i’ve clocked in thirty minutes on this video. this video goes way beyond any beneficial information i’ve received for music and i can’t thank you enough for your way of concentration information in such a methodical sense. thank you very much!
Man, I have been researching DACs for a week now [completely new to this] and must commend you on a GREAT presentation!
Friend,...all I can say is well done! I've been an electronic tech for 35 years. A great deal of what you were sharing took me back to my early training days. I do not remember it being this much fun and engaging to listen to. I was waiting for you to drop Mr. Nyquist' name. My point is that you held my attention and your delivery was first rate.
Best description about what an DAC do i ever heard!
even an amateur can now understand how important a good DAC is.
This is THE BEST explanation of DAC's ever. Almost like good music---I couldn't turn if off!
Incredibly informative and educational presented in a captivating way. Thank you sir
Most articulate presentation I’ve ever heard. Have to watch it again when not tanked up on New Year’s Day
Subscribed! What a way to teach and mostly learn by this side of the screen …👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
After buying my first dac and not really knowing what to expect it to do for my modest system your description of how a dac adds to the audio experience was spot on Thanks for such a comprehensive explanation of dacs and what they do. Dan K
Amazingly lucid, informative and even poetic explanation. A stunning bit of education for what can be turgid and unfathomable. Thank you!
This was a great video! LOVED the part at the end with the chart and description of how much each category of audio enthusiast spends on equipment…absolute GOLD!!!!
Best explanation of a DAC I have seen. I am new to them, so this helps tremendously. I liken this to a good phono stage now... thanks!!
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for your help - finally - I am now ready to make my own DAC purchase journey
I personally think yours is the best explanation of what a DAC is as a whole and how it works that I have ever heard. I have referenced your video in dozens of online conversations where people want to learn what a DAC is. Bravo!
Additionally, have you created a video discerning the differences of delta-sigma, resistor ladder, and FPGA DACs and how they convert digital data to a wave form? With the resurgence of r2r DACs this question comes up again and again in forums. Keep up the good work!
Less than a week ago Id given no real thought for a Dac as I watched endless videos of streamers and cd players/transports adding them and crossing off my list...than someone said the Dac should be your most important piece of that puzzle. I feel so fortunate to have found your video...I could have made some very costly mistakes and didn't really know how to navigate comparing one dac to another . Now I feel confident enough to call my local hifi dealer and give him a lesson on drawing shooting stars and listening for plugged nostrils in music we demo😅😅. Thanks so much for such an awesome explanation and sharing your expertise with us mere immortals😝
If you "zoom in" far enough, everything is discrete and quantifiable to a certain point when it comes to electrical signals.
The amount of electrons passing through "analog" components can be quantized resulting in quantification noise, same goes for the molecules of PVC inside the grooves of "analog" vinyl.
It applies to many . The zooming increases as technology evolves. Infinity will be the answer.
Well I didn’t expect to learn about bit rates and digital music this morning, I’m kinda excited about it, it’s been 20 years of listening to all kinds of total crap and the finest of music on computers and cd’s, and also tape and radio, and I never knew or cared how good or bad, as long as it sounded good, so this is awesome!
Do an amp video just like this! Love it!
I didn't even felt half an hour go past, loved how extremely interesting and extremely complicated information was so simply explained.
wow... I finally understood what a DAC is. I have listened to 100 of youtube vids but found them too complex as those people talked in 0s and 1s. Finally stumbled on this vid that perfectly explains what a DAC is in understandable English. Thanks so much.
this is exactly what I was looking for thank you! Been messing trying so many DAC's for my LCD-X's now I know what to look for
Thank you sir!!! You just answered my questions on DAC's that has been racking my brain for probably the last 2 -3 years now. I have Dynaudio studio monitors for my PC and trying to find the right DAC that will get me the best sound I can afford. Best 31 minutes I have came across in a very long time!!
First class explanation, really helped me appreciate what a complex process the DAC performs, step by step. It was very helpful to explain the ’rounding’ that takes place in the analogue to digital processing as this helped me complete the jigsaw puzzle of what the DAC is doing. I totally agree that not all violins have the same qualities, and of course that applies to the wood being used as well 😊. A big thank you from me.
30 very entertaining & educational minutes. Brilliantly explained. Thank you.
Just came across this video and I just want to say thank you. Very well explained
This comment is redundant. As others have stated the same thing I'm about to. Excellent video I've never heard DAC explained more succinctly and to the point so that most people could understand. Please keep up the good work!
As a Recording Engineer i have to say, that was a top-notch explanation. love it.
Same. I've worked in broadcasting and around sound since 1984, with digital since 1996, and have never head it explained better. This video is where I'll send people who ask me how it works instead of trying to describe it to them myself.
Sir, you just blew the theory out the window of some of the comments here that say all DAC's sound the same - and "don't waste your money" - I had a $21 DAC, upgraded to a $80 DAC what a huge improvement, now I want a $279 Schiit Modi DAC Multibit - as they say "let your ears do the talking"
I am looking for a DAC to upgrade my hifi system. Thank you for your clear and easy to explain the subject and a great way helping me to decide what kind of DAC to look for.
Very informative for anybody who needs to understand the concept and function of a DAC, like me. This video explained so much. Thanks.
Very Impressed. I have been looking for and outboard DAC for sometime now. It has been one the most difficult tasks in my audio listening journey. It is not like buying a set of speakers, or even a good Amp, or something you can sink your teeth into. It is a vague notion of sonic improvement. My wife asked the question, "How do you know it will sound better than your current DAC" ???? I answered stunned, I really don't know. I'll have to listen!!! AND then, How many times have we all listened to a demo, comparison, and just flipped a coin! Trying not to let a known brand or price influence our judgement. Thanks for some additional help in this confusing journey. Robert TN
You’re visualizations are spot on ….for me anyway. It’s like you’re speaking for me but articulating it in a way I can’t. Thanks for this.
I totally love your presentation on DAC .You are the first to lay it out so so clearly.Good job
Best 30min spent on youtube in a long time.Subbed. Portable DAC player incoming...
You have done a amazing presentation. Well narrated , great command of language and took DAC to pieces and explained it in very simple terms. You should do more videos on all in one streamer DAC vs separate DAC /Separate streamer. Lot of times one reads a lot about theoretical calculation which really does nothing much to inaudible details. I agree, if you are into hifi and looking for minute details, then investing in a good DAC will tremendously improve the sonic quality.
This is a superb, clear explanation of the processes involved. Should be "required viewing" for everyone involved/interested in audio. Thank you.
A very very good explanation of what the DAC is doing. of course everyone can easily understand that it converts a digital to analogue signal, but what it really means only is clear because of your superb example with the circle!!!
I appreciate this clear explanation. I inherited and am using a nice pair of JBL L88 2 way speakers given me after my dad passed away. I remember when he bought them new in 1972 and he explained then why he didn't pay more for the L100 3 ways. "After living next to the flight line on a B-29 base (when he was in the war) I honestly couldn't hear the difference". All things are relative.
18.00 is an exercise I learnt from you. Best way to visualise and judge audio and also preserve memory of how things sounded. Very useful when comparing two sources.
Absolutely the best explanation of DAC's and other Hifi issues....
Very nicely done. Love the engineering explanation on audio. Would love to see a video on how chips/processing impact sonics
Great video, thanks for taking the time and resources on this. I love your humor and explanation on the Diminishing Marginal Utility chart.
I honestly couldn't imagine the topic being handled in a more accessible and comprehensive way -- absolute hat off to you for this video, that was engaging as it comes. I noticed you haven't uploaded in a while so I hope that doesn't mark the end of the channel. Either way, thanks and all the best!
This may be from a long time ago, yet, having heard several other videos on DAC basics, this is the most interesting, detailed and beautiful- yes, the romantic poetic way in which you frame the musical experience is inspiring; and your art is pretty good!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. I'm trying to kick start my channel back up, so this gives me encouragement.
Thank you for the awesome lesson. You are a gifted teacher.
Comparing the DAC to a musician was a very good analogy for me. Thank you for this video!
Dude this is amazing. We need more of this in the Hi-Fi world
You are a genius! You know the subject inside out that’s why you could explain it in simple English. Less knowledgeable guy would have sprinkled all the technobabble of bits, bytes, FPGAs blah blah...
truly impressive!
Fantastic piece of guide/manual on DACs! Complicated science made simple to understand! Wow! Thanks a ton for making such a video.
Hi, you did a very nice job in explaining what does a dac do besides the conversion. Yes when you are well into hi end gear then a good dac makes a world of differance and if not, one can ignore it as you want hear almost any dif. through the speackes. If one of your amps for example is a Dan D’Agostino or Pass Labs or a Hegel h 590 or a Boulder feeding from an Amr transport or Metronome and so on , a good dac makes a difference that one could easly hear without even having to try. A few blind tests in my private music room with ten listerners from all levels showed me that when the gear is a hi end one ,it does make a world of dif. espacially if your speackers are at the Focal Grande Utopia EM EVO level for example or above . Ofc. even with cheapper hi end gear it still helps in detail , I would say a great deal.Aslong as the ext. dac is better then the internal dac used one will hear the dif. on a hi end gear.
Thank you my friend. Your drawings and pictures really helped me to understand something that it is so intangible and ineffable. Good Job!
I must agree with all the gushing comments on your very skillful ability to explain a very complex topic in a clear and understandable manner, you really have a gift. They should use you as a model of how to be a good teacher in college. I subscribed because I love to learn about how things work in just about every category imaginable, I have a feeling you have many more interesting videos that I now can't wait to explore. Extremely well done sir, keep doing what you do best.
This is a great video. It both expanded my knowledge and helped me with my decision making process. Thanks!
THis video is gold, and about 27 minutes on I'm just laughing
And 5 years from now, I'm not laughing anymore, because I just spent the rest of my relatives money and I'm desperate about finding music that's been actually mastered properly.
Thought it was cool that you reference with Random Access Memories. I’m a sound engineer and it’s my go-to reference when tuning a PA system or mixing in the studio. One of the best sounding pop albums ever made in my opinion.
Excellent. I have always thought of DACs as music creators instead of a mere converter. The word converter implies the result of the conversion is always the same. A DAC is a performer and the digital files are the music partitures. Different performers will sound different even while reading the same partitures.
Have listened to quite a few DAC what, how, and why videos. This one finally works for me. Sadly the last graph put me where I thought I was, lower end of entry + level. At least I have a name for my prey. Now the hunt begins!
Thanks for sharing. The visual interpretation is great...
It’s cool seeing how different people can envision soundstage and gain in different parts of a song. For me it’s almost like an overhead circle, or a lissajous pattern on an oscillator, with a parametric EQ representing where the sound sits. It’s not perfectly accurate obviously but it really helps when trying to mix and master!
Trully enjoyed your presentation.
I have been buying and modifying dacs massively for the last few years.
Luckily I know an audiophile engineer and mechanic who doesn't mind my craze
Thanks so much! I appreciated the thorough quantum-to-macro progression of the video. You have a detailed yet approachable style of explanation, which I love.
As an ET I've never thought about DACs like this but it made perfect since!
Finally! The scientific explanation of why my Reel 2 Reel tape machine "feels better" than the digital approach. This explanation is the sword that slays that old dragon of an argument...and thank you for that!!!
Simple, concise and much like a good quality DAC your video captured all of the essential information and presented it in a format that was pleasing to my ear, you instantly earned a new subscriber. Keep up the good work!!!
Amazing video, simply amazing. I salute you. This is perhaps the most informational video concerning audio I’ve ever experienced.
I enjoyed watching this. You are good at explaining in depth info most people don’t think about. I have a couple DAC’s. Aune t1 mk2 usb tube dac and schiit modi 3 with headphone amp. I own Klipsch La scalas and Cornscala’s. I went through many many components to get my la scalas to sing like my fathers until my dac purchase. Best component I feel I have bought to improve quality. You got a thumbs up from this guy. I look forward to more of your videos.
Get yourself an EMU 1212 m pcie audio card ! Studio quality conversion 198 khz 24 bits 120 db signal to noise ratio and balanced in/out. Same dacs as in Protools systems, comparable to the RME you show. For about $ 80 bucks or less on e-bay. Good audio does not have to cost a lot !
Rather have portable
@@Cory989 Native instruments Komplete One or Two , Bur Brown convertors 198/24 max ,usb ( For creating music to slow but for listening ok )The headphone output sounds awesome !
OMG you have such a sense of humor! Thank you and I sure have learned so much from this video. Keep up the good work!