Gold isn’t the only metal that can be used to resist corrosion, but when it comes to audio equipment, it’s one of the best and easiest to identify. These kinds of things aren’t always easy to identify without actually handling the DAC in question.ĭepending on how long you plan on making use of your DAC, you might also want to look gold plated connection terminals. And it helps to know that your connection headers won’t fall off when placed under the slightest bit of horizontal force. But it helps to know that your equipment isn’t going to stop working the first time it gets bumped. You won’t have to ruminate too much on this criterion. Cheaper DACs will typically not be able to accommodate these formats, but it’s sometimes possible to find some affordable ones that still get you there. You may also need to look specifically for 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound support. In fact, the amplifier is what gives a speaker its own unique characteristics - you could call it a voice. Because when your audio equipment reaches a certain level, you can start to hear the difference between one amplifier and another. You’ll have to think less about whether or not 24-bit sound is supported because that’s become somewhat universal, even on the cheapest and least noteworthy DACs out there.ĭepending on the quality of your speakers or headphones, the DAC can be even more important.

Typical support starts down around 32kHz sampling rates, and then pushes out towards 96kHz.

You may want to pay attention to the resolution supported by the adapter. But how many of each port, and in what ratio will you find them? What kind of devices are you hoping to connect? Are you trying to connect your game console or a television? Answering those kinds of questions can help point you in the right direction. It’s also quite easy to find adapters with 3.5mm audio jacks and RCA connections. You’ll have no trouble finding DACs which provide both coaxial and optical input/output options.

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