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What is a DAC, how important is it to have one, and are they only used for for USB or 3.5mm plug speakers?

Bleedingyamato
By Bleedingyamato
in Audio
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Posted

I've just been told a little about a DAC in another topic I made but now I'm curious to learn more about them.

 

So basically I'd like to learn all about what a DAC is, how it works, types of speakers it's used with (USB vs. 3.5mm or other if more types of audio connectors exist), and anything else impotent to know about them.

 

 

Also although I did just ask about this in my other topic I figure I'll repeat asking about the audio setup on my gaming 7 mb.  It says on Gigabyte's site that the gaming 7 has an upgradable op amp, a creative sound audio processor, DAC-UP USB ports for plugging a DAC into, and a few other features all meant to give good quality audio output.

 

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=5481#ov

 

But currently idk a dang thing about it so please enlighten me LTT peoples.  ?

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A DAC converts a digital encoding of audio to an analog signal. It can be used with any downstream analog gear designed to accept a line-level signal, such as amplifiers or the amplifier built into an active speaker.

 

As to how a DAC works; very simplified, it takes the digital encoding of an audio signal (e.g. discrete measurements) and converts them to a continuously variable voltage. This voltage is ultimately used to control the motion of a transducer, such as a speaker or headphone driver.

Audio Reference • Cutting the Crap • 7.1 Headphones? • Audio Interference Troubleshooting Guide
REVIEWS • HiFiMan HE-560 • Beyerdynamic T1 2. Generation • Schiit Bifrost 4490 • Schiit Valhalla 2
RECOMMENDATIONS • The Audio Board's Recommended Gear

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Posted
Just now, SSL said:

 

Not helpful.

Thought it may be. Usually you never go wrong with Techquickie ;)

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15 minutes ago, Mobby Dick said:

This might help a little 

NOPE. Nobody at LMG knows jack shit about that topic. They spread actual human feces with each audio video.

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8 minutes ago, Mobby Dick said:

Thought it may be. Usually you never go wrong with Techquickie ;)

Usually you can't go right with it for audio.

n0ah1897, on 05 Mar 2014 - 2:08 PM, said:  "Computers are like girls. It's whats in the inside that matters.  I don't know about you, but I like my girls like I like my cases. Just as beautiful on the inside as the outside."

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14 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

Not helpful.

 

12 minutes ago, JoeyDM said:

NOPE. Nobody at LMG knows jack shit about that topic. They spread actual human feces with each audio video.

 

5 minutes ago, spwath said:

Usually you can't go right with it for audio.

 

Now idk who to believe and most of what I asked about remains unanswered.   

 

Is there some sort of audio Yoda that could be tagged to come help?

(Unless one of you kind people knows about this stuff.)

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1 minute ago, Bleedingyamato said:

 

 

 

Now idk who to believe and most of what I asked about remains unanswered.   

 

Is there some sort of audio Yoda that could be tagged to come help?

(Unless one of you kind people knows about this stuff.)

 

If you want to learn more about DACs, you've been directed to some resources: the Audio Sub stickies and the first link in my signature, as well as the forum achrives (use Google). No one here learned about audio by bombarding some "audio Yoda" with questions. They did research.

 

Beyond that, I don't really see any other questions that need answering. If you're wondering if your motherboard has good audio: it has rolled-off bass. Meaning that it has less bass than it should. You might be able to fix it with an op-amp, but if you really care about audio quality you'll need to go with a third-party device.

Audio Reference • Cutting the Crap • 7.1 Headphones? • Audio Interference Troubleshooting Guide
REVIEWS • HiFiMan HE-560 • Beyerdynamic T1 2. Generation • Schiit Bifrost 4490 • Schiit Valhalla 2
RECOMMENDATIONS • The Audio Board's Recommended Gear

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8 minutes ago, Bleedingyamato said:

Now idk who to believe and most of what I asked about remains unanswered.   

 

Is there some sort of audio Yoda that could be tagged to come help?

(Unless one of you kind people knows about this stuff.)

The audio Yoda here is @SSL, except he's more of a dick than Yoda was. He's just as helpful though!

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4 minutes ago, JoeyDM said:

The audio Yoda here is @SSL, except he's more of a dick than Yoda was. He's just as helpful though!

 

Nah, Yoda was wise and compassionate. I'm just a bible-thumping adjudicator.

Audio Reference • Cutting the Crap • 7.1 Headphones? • Audio Interference Troubleshooting Guide
REVIEWS • HiFiMan HE-560 • Beyerdynamic T1 2. Generation • Schiit Bifrost 4490 • Schiit Valhalla 2
RECOMMENDATIONS • The Audio Board's Recommended Gear

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7 minutes ago, JoeyDM said:

The audio Yoda here is @SSL, except he's more of a dick than Yoda was. He's just as helpful though!

Hmm, fuck off to NwAvGuy's blog you must.

dj-yoda-gray1.jpg

Nova doctrina terribilis sit perdere

Audio format guides: Vinyl records | Cassette tapes

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5 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

Nah, Yoda was wise and compassionate. I'm just a bible-thumping adjudicator.

 

12 minutes ago, JoeyDM said:

The audio Yoda here is @SSL, except he's more of a dick than Yoda was. He's just as helpful though!

 

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17 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

If you want to learn more about DACs, you've been directed to some resources: the Audio Sub stickies and the first link in my signature, as well as the forum achrives (use Google). No one here learned about audio by bombarding some "audio Yoda" with questions. They did research.

 

Beyond that, I don't really see any other questions that need answering. If you're wondering if your motherboard has good audio: it has rolled-off bass. Meaning that it has less bass than it should. You might be able to fix it with an op-amp, but if you really care about audio quality you'll need to go with a third-party device.

You mean a DAC?  Or a PCIE sound card?

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8 minutes ago, SSL said:

 

Nah, Yoda was wise and compassionate. I'm just a bible-thumping adjudicator.

You scare me sir.  ?

 

Btw: what is EmoRarity?

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6 minutes ago, Volbet said:

Hmm, fuck off to NwAvGuy's blog you must.

 

Wow.  Someone actually made that.  lol

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Just now, Bleedingyamato said:

You mean a DAC?  Or a PCIE sound card?

 

Either one. I'd favor a decent external DAC+amp unit.

Audio Reference • Cutting the Crap • 7.1 Headphones? • Audio Interference Troubleshooting Guide
REVIEWS • HiFiMan HE-560 • Beyerdynamic T1 2. Generation • Schiit Bifrost 4490 • Schiit Valhalla 2
RECOMMENDATIONS • The Audio Board's Recommended Gear

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1 minute ago, SSL said:

 

Either one. I'd favor a decent external DAC+amp unit.

I'll try to keep that in mind for when I eventually get some nice speakers.

 

I doubt what I can afford currently would warrant a DAC and amp.

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4 minutes ago, Bleedingyamato said:

Wow.  Someone actually made that.  lol

Well, it's the mascot for DJ Yoda.

How he has avoided a law suite is beyond me. 

Nova doctrina terribilis sit perdere

Audio format guides: Vinyl records | Cassette tapes

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4 minutes ago, Volbet said:

Well, it's the mascot for DJ Yoda.

How he has avoided a law suite is beyond me. 

While I'm against copyright infringement I think that looks cool so I'll allow it.  ?

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