Connecting two DACs in series

[adarsh]

Here is a curious situation!

I have a Arcam AirDac, which does't have an USB interface, but takes Coax. I have FiiO X5, which can act as USB DAC and has output as Coax. Now my connection is like this -

PC --> Fiio X5 ---> Arcam AirDac ( through Coax from X5)

I want to know, Connecting two DACs like this have any advantage in refining sound signals more? Or is it the last DAC which decides final sound stage?

 

[MaSh]

Here is a curious situation!

I have a Arcam AirDac, which does't have an USB interface, but takes Coax. I have FiiO X5, which can act as USB DAC and has output as Coax. Now my connection is like this -

PC --> Fiio X5 ---> Arcam AirDac ( through Coax from X5)

I want to know, Connecting two DACs like this have any advantage in refining sound signals more? Or is it the last DAC which decides final sound stage?

If you connect that way, then the first device is being used only as a USB to coax converter and the second device is doing the job of a dac converting digital coax to analog.

Have you connected and seen what happens? How did it sound?

Mash

Sent from my Redmi Note 3

 

[regeHA]

In this case the FiiO would act as transport, DAC duties would be by Arcam AirDac.

Regarding performance, test it out, but I wouldn't be surprised if it made a difference.

 

[sound_cycle]

Or is it the last DAC which decides final sound stage?

Dont know about the sound stage, but DACs take a digital input and convert it to analog. If you daisy chain them the conversion can only happen at the last - if they can be daisy chained.

For instance I could take a digital output from my ps3 (which ofc has a DAC) and send that to my TV (whcih has a DAC) and connect the TV output using a digital output to my Bimby and send the analog output to my amp.

the digital to analog step would happen on the bimby.

The others simply pass the signal through. unaltered.

ciao
gr

 

[music4mhell]

Well, technically there shouldn't be any change in sound.. but in reality that's not the case !

I find sound is better from USB input than Toslink input in my Mojo, even when i changes the micro usb cables (Amazon Basics, Monoprice, Pure copper, Pure silver etc) the sound changes.

So i am 200% sure, there will be sound difference, is it better or worse that you will decide.

In this audio chain of yours, as others have mentioned earlier, Arcam wil convert D to A and Fiio will act like a transport only !

 

[sound_cycle]

Well, technically there shouldn't be any change in sound.. but in reality that's not the case !

so my HiRes/ VBR music streaming from say Tidal/ itunes is compromised because it digitally went through GOKwhat ?

There has to be something else at play for what you are experiencing.

ciao
gr

 

[music4mhell]

so my HiRes/ VBR music streaming from say Tidal/ itunes is compromised because it digitally went through GOKwhat ?

There has to be something else at play for what you are experiencing.

ciao
gr

Nope dear, i have done a lot research and A/B testing..
Moral of the story, USB cables do make a difference ..

I don't want to open the Pandora box... cause in the end it's digital (binary 0,1), either you will get or not, there is no middle..

You can do a very small testing.. if you have a USB input on ur DAC, take some USB cables you have at ur home (Default Mobile phone cables, Power bank cables, charging cables etc etc) and see if you can hear any difference in sound. If you can't hear any difference, you will save $1000 unlike me

Best of Luck !hyeah:

 

[sound_cycle]

Nope dear, i have done a lot research and A/B testing..
Moral of the story, USB cables do make a difference ..

nice deflect, because I did not say USB in this thread
(BTW USB and/or optical cables can make a difference, no disagreement there), are you referring to my query what is happening in music streaming over the internet or the fact that only the last DAC will make the conversion (OPs query). Let us assume the best cables are used.

ciao
gr

 

[music4mhell]

nice deflect, because I did not say USB in this thread
(BTW USB and/or optical cables can make a difference, no disagreement there), are you referring to my query what is happening in music streaming over the internet or the fact that only the last DAC will make the conversion (OPs query). Let us assume the best cables are used.

ciao
gr

upps my bad..i answered for an unasked Question :sad:
Now on the streaming part ... let me give some scenario below on my case:

1. Tidal on Oneplus One + Micro USB + Chord Mojo+
2. Tidal Oneplus one + Chormecast Audio + Toslink Input + Mojo
3. Tidal Oneplus one + Chormecast Video to Sony TV+ Toslink Input from Sony TV + Mojo

On above cases, 1 > 2 > 3. Even though both are Toslink input in case 2 and 3, one is coming from TV and other is from Chromecast Audio.

So IMHO, yes sound will change if we add more digital components in the audio chain.