The first dilemma I had buying the Audioengine D1 was whether I should buy an audio interface like the Scarlett 2i2 or a dedicated DAC.
I chose the Audioengine D1 DAC because it has an optical input which can support a sampling rate of 192kHz. Just like more pixels per inch produce a crispier, sharper image, I believe that better sampling rate improves the profile of the audio.
So the first question is, does an external DAC make a difference in the audio quality?
My answer is, if you have $50 headphones or better, it surely does.
Firstly, it bypasses the circuit noise induced by the peripherals in the inbuilt sound-card of a pc. No noise itself refines the profile of the audio a great deal.
I tested this by connecting my Boss GT-100 guitar processor to my mac and bypassing the built-in audio. I connected headphones the the GT-100 and voila! Better sound quality! (And the D1 does it even better)
Secondly, a dedicated DAC that costs as much as an external audio interface is logically better. It is built for a specific function and the Audioengine D1 does the job well. To be honest, I was first disappointed in the quality of the D1 because it wouldn't produce bass. But that was until I connected my optical cable to the DAC and selected "digital optical output" in the Audio Settings. As soon as I did that, I got to experience 192kHz of deep thumping crisp, deep, heavy bass on my 1More triple driver headphones.
Finally, I love the overall quality of the D1. I got to hear things I have never heard in the songs I listen to everyday. For instance, noticing that Tove Lo has given backing vocals in Ellie Goulding's "Love me like you do". I noticed Tove Lo's high pitched backing vocals in the first chorus!
I'm sure there are a lot many things do discover in music and it's amazing how well the device renders audio for even Low-Fi music with just one guitar in it, like John Mayer's "Slow dancing in a burning room" from the Village Sessions.
An external DAC definitely makes a difference in the sound quality and renders better instrument separation. So if you're thinking of getting one and are not a pig who overlooks details in audio quality, you are good to go! It's worth the $169.
I chose the Audioengine D1 DAC because it has an optical input which can support a sampling rate of 192kHz. Just like more pixels per inch produce a crispier, sharper image, I believe that better sampling rate improves the profile of the audio.
So the first question is, does an external DAC make a difference in the audio quality?
My answer is, if you have $50 headphones or better, it surely does.
Firstly, it bypasses the circuit noise induced by the peripherals in the inbuilt sound-card of a pc. No noise itself refines the profile of the audio a great deal.
I tested this by connecting my Boss GT-100 guitar processor to my mac and bypassing the built-in audio. I connected headphones the the GT-100 and voila! Better sound quality! (And the D1 does it even better)
Secondly, a dedicated DAC that costs as much as an external audio interface is logically better. It is built for a specific function and the Audioengine D1 does the job well. To be honest, I was first disappointed in the quality of the D1 because it wouldn't produce bass. But that was until I connected my optical cable to the DAC and selected "digital optical output" in the Audio Settings. As soon as I did that, I got to experience 192kHz of deep thumping crisp, deep, heavy bass on my 1More triple driver headphones.
Finally, I love the overall quality of the D1. I got to hear things I have never heard in the songs I listen to everyday. For instance, noticing that Tove Lo has given backing vocals in Ellie Goulding's "Love me like you do". I noticed Tove Lo's high pitched backing vocals in the first chorus!
I'm sure there are a lot many things do discover in music and it's amazing how well the device renders audio for even Low-Fi music with just one guitar in it, like John Mayer's "Slow dancing in a burning room" from the Village Sessions.
An external DAC definitely makes a difference in the sound quality and renders better instrument separation. So if you're thinking of getting one and are not a pig who overlooks details in audio quality, you are good to go! It's worth the $169.
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