Re: is it worth to buy an external dac ?
Reply #24 – 2024-03-18 09:22:35
i'm talking about realtek , they don't release a lot of informations about audio chipsets As a professional engineer (not audio), I could not build a system around components which had no published specification (for specifications which mattered in the final product). The reason for that is lack of accountability: for a product to meet its specification, its components have to meet their specifications, or be subject to rigorous testing in-house to determine their specifications (an expensive process). A typical consumer-grade PC is not aimed at audiophiles, so the makers are not concerned about audiophile specifications. Therefore an audiophile user cannot rely on guaranteed performance for noise, THD etc. There are three solutions to this:Find an audiophile supplier of PCs; Use an external DAC with published performance specifications; Listen to (or test) the audio output from your existing PC and decide whether it is good enough for yourself. Notebooks can get much better simply by unplugging from the mains and running off battery. I realise you were wondering whether you would notice any improvement by switching to an external DAC and whether the investment would be worthwhile. Unfortunately only you can decide that, it depends how good your ears are (and how much it matters to you). Personally, I don't think I would notice any difference. What you do get with an external DAC is better connectors (the 3.5mm stereo socket is a weak link)!