Sorry to break it to you, but being an audiophile is a complicated venture. Not only do you need to learn a bunch of nerdy terms, but you need to assemble a functioning audio setup. That’s a headache just waiting to happen! Well, three important parts of your audio setup are the DAC, amp, and pre-amp. What are they? What do they do? Do you really NEED them? We’ll answer those questions in this guide.
Before diving into the hardware, you might want to know a little bit about the actual sound going into your ears. Every audio file you hear has a certain audio quality, and you refer to that quality using specific terms. We have a guide explaining Sample Rate, Bit Depth, and Bit Rate that you should read before getting started down your journey.
Why is it important? Well, DACs are some of the devices that show you the audio quality. There’s no point in paying for one of these devices if you don’t know what you’re looking at on the screen. So, without further ado, let’s get going.
What are DACs?
The story of DACs is a bit of a weird one, as there’s more than one definition for these devices. The term DAC is an acronym for Digital to Analog Converter, and that’s its core job. It’s the middleman between your audio file and sound waves.
What makes things complicated is the fact that not too many people know what DACs really are. If you’re researching DACs online, you’ve probably come across some large and rather expensive boxes connected to headphones. Those are DACs, yes, but they’re not the only types. In fact, if you’ve used a smartphone or tablet from just a couple of years ago, then you’ve been using DACs all this time.
In its most basic form, a DAC is a chip. Not a big and expensive box with knobs, lights, and buttons; just a chip. In the diagram below, we see a simple 4-pronged DAC. As stated, the DAC takes the digital signal (the binary sequences of 1s and 0s) and converts it into a raw electrical signal. The electrical signal needs to have a very specific voltage for your speaker or headphones to properly convert it into sound waves. We could dig deeper into how these chips work, but that’s not the point of this piece.
One thing to point out is that, while we’ve seen DACs for smartphones, like the DAC attachment for the LG G5 and the high-quality “Quad DACs” in the LG V series of smartphones, a DAC isn’t a device that boosts your phone’s headphone performance. Actually, if your phone has a headphone jack at all, it has a DAC.
Again, the DAC is what converts the digital signal into the audio signal. You can have a high-quality DAC like what LG advertised, but typical smartphones have them too.
Now, let’s talk about the big DACs
That was an interesting factoid to bring up during parties, but now, let’s talk about the other types of DACs. When getting your audio setup put together, you’ll need to pick up a DAC early on. The DACs that people use in their audio setups are sizable desktop devices, so they’re a little more complex than the chips sitting in old smartphones.
Still, they perform the duty of converting your digital signal into an analog signal. You’ll connect your device to the DAC using one of several different methods. You’ll see ports on the back like a USB port, coaxial port, optical port, etc. Some DACs also have Bluetooth input. The DAC will then take that digital signal, convert it into an analog signal, and push it through the output port.
Several DACs, like the Cambridge DacMagic 200M, have a headphone port. So, you can listen to the music directly from the DAC if you want. If not, then you can send the signal down through the output ports like the RCA and XLR ports to the next device in your setup.
Why are DACs important?
DACs play a pretty big part in how your audio sounds. It won’t magically improve the audio quality; if you’re listening to a compressed MP3 file, the DAC won’t upscale it to high-res audio. However, if you’re listening to a high-quality audio file, a proper DAC can make sure that you’re hearing that file at its higher quality.
If you’re using a DAC that caps out at 32-bit/192kHz, but you’re listening to a 16-bit/44.1kHz MP3 file, it’s not going to make that audio file sound higher-quality. It’s the equivalent to watching a 720p video on a 4K screen. The screen won’t boost the quality of the video.
However, if you’re listening to a higher-quality audio file through a high-quality DAC, then you’ll be able to hear that file at its full quality. Your computer’s headphone jack typically won’t be able to push a high-quality signal, so if you’re listening to a high-res FLAC or MQA file through your computer’s headphone jack, you’ll hear a compressed sound.
That being said, the DAC does have an effect on the sound that you hear. It affects how clean the audio signal is, and it can also affect the audio characteristics like the bass, mids, and treble. Seasoned audiophiles will be able to pick up on these subtle nuances in the sound.
The DAC is important because it converts the audio signal from its original digital form and gets it ready to be sent down your setup.
What are pre-amps?
On your voyage to becoming an audiophile, you’ve probably heard of the term “pre-amp”. Just like the DAC, the pre-amp has a pretty straightforward job. After your signal travels from the DAC, its volume becomes the focus. The DAC’s job is to convert the signal into an analog signal, but it doesn’t affect the volume.
The pre-amp’s job is to control the volume level of the entire signal. This is why these devices come with volume knobs. While you can probably control the volume using your computer, it might be more convenient to use the knob.
Just like the DAC, the pre-amp’s quality has an impact on the audio output. The thing is that, as you add more devices to your signal chain, the more noise you introduce. So, aside from setting the signal’s volume, the pre-amp is also charged with the duty of reducing the noise that it brings in.
What are amps?
Now that the signal’s converted and its volume level is set, it’s time to push it through to the speakers. The thing is that the signal traveling through your setup is rather weak. It might be strong enough for lower-powered headphones, but if you’re trying to drive some larger headphones or speakers, you’ll need to boost that signal. Otherwise, you’ll barely be able to hear anything.
In case you don’t know, “amp” is short for “amplifier.” It amplifies the signal so that you can properly hear the audio coming through larger headphones and speakers. As you know, the drivers in your headphones or speakers take the raw electrical signal and convert it into sound waves. The signal travels through the coil or planar magnets and causes the drivers’ diaphragm to physically move. The stronger the signal, the more the coil moves, and the louder the volume.
Your typical store-shelf headphones usually have smaller drivers, so they don’t require much energy to convert the signal. They’re like the speaker equivalent of bikes. They’re small, and it doesn’t take much energy to get them to move. Your computer and phone don’t really push a powerful signal through their headphone jacks, but smaller headphones can still convert it.
Larger headphones and speakers have larger drivers. So, it takes more energy to physically move their diaphragms. As such, the signal coming from your computer or phone just isn’t strong enough. They’re like the speaker equivalent of a car, in that they require a substantial amount of energy to actually get moving.
The amp is usually near the end of the signal chain. This means that it’s usually the last device that the signal goes through before it’s pushed to the speakers.
DACs with integrated amps
So, this might seem pretty cut and dry. The DAC converts the digital signal into an analog signal, the pre-amp sets the volume level, and the amp boosts the signal. You can actually have an audio setup with just those devices.
However, somewhere along the line, audio device makers decided to take pity on us and combine some devices so that we could save some money. Not everyone wants to buy five devices to perform five tasks. So, there are devices that perform more than one task. Sure, they cost a little more than dedicated devices, but not by much, and they’re much cheaper than buying two devices.
A common compound device is the DAC with an integrated amp. This seems like a commonsense purchase. Not only do they convert the signal, but they also dictate and boost the signal’s volume. You can have your cake and eat it too.
Most people new to audiophilia would prefer to get a device like this. Rather than making a large and complicated setup, users can plug their headphones or speakers directly into the DAC. Since they have the pre-amp built in, these devices will have volume knobs to adjust the volume.
Seasoned audiophiles might want to avoid these devices because they may want to have more control over their sound. If you buy a DAC with an integrated amp, you’re stuck with the same amp and pre-amp. There’s also the fact that dedicated DACs, pre-amps, and amps are typically higher in quality. The amp or pre-amp on a DAC might not be as good as a standalone device.
Be that as it may, there are some devices that stand out for their quality.
Cambridge Dacmagic 200M
We reviewed the Cambridge Dacmagic 200M here at Android Headlines. This is a DAC with an integrated amp, it earned 5/5 stars. We recommend giving this device a try. At only $499, this is one of the more affordable options. While it’s affordable, it still brings the kind of quality that you’d see in devices twice as expensive.
Design and build
Just like other expensive devices, the Dacmagic 200M is a well-built device. Cambridge built this device out of metal, so it will survive years of use without wear or tear. Also, the design is simple yet appealing.
It has an easy-to-use interface with the buttons for the power, filter, and inputs on the front. Also, there are lights on the front of the device that tell you the sample rate of the audio you’re listening to.
Inputs
You have several input options like USB, coaxial, optical, and Bluetooth. As for outputs, you have XLR, RCA, and aux. If you want to use your DAC for personal headphone listening, then you’d be happy to know that the headphone jack is right on the front of the device.
Audio quality
The overall audio quality is top-notch, as well. As stated before, the DAC won’t magically make your audio higher quality. However, it can make your high-quality music sound great. In our testing, we found that it produces a nice and clear sound. The sound is balanced, though it’s a little weak in the low end. So, if you wind up getting this device, you’ll want to boost the bass in your audio with an EQ if possible.
You can easily switch between the filters by pressing the button on the front. It has the option between Slow, Fast, and Short Delay. Once you press the button, you’ll hear it change rather quickly.
All in all, the Dacmagic 200M is a fantastic device. Aside from our review, other reviewers have given it high marks. If you’re looking for a good first step to get your audiophile journey started, you’d want to look into getting it.
There you have it!
Now, you know just a little more knowledge to help you get along as a music lover. Knowing some of the basic components of an audio setup and what they’re for is a good first step to becoming an audiophile. Be sure to check out our other audio-related content on Android Headlines.
