They took the soul out of your music and sold it back to you.
Modern DACs are more powerful than ever, yet many audiophiles complain that they lack warmth, depth, and musicality. According to Drew Baird of Moon Audio, that’s no coincidence.
In a recent episode of The Occasional Podcast, Baird explains how manufacturers have sacrificed analog craftsmanship in favor of digital convenience. The result? A sea of high-end DACs that may measure well but sound eerily similar.
The Problem According to Baird
Modern DAC chips are more advanced than ever, but according to Baird, that might be part of the problem.
He argues that manufacturers have grown too dependent on digital processing. This, in turn, often neglects the analog output stage, which is a critical part of shaping a DAC’s final sound.
You’ve probably noticed this yourself if you’ve compared different high-end DACs recently. Despite the price differences, they somehow all have that same digital “sameness” to their sound.
That’s because more companies now rely heavily on standardized chip solutions. Meaning, more DACslook great on paper but lack any distinctive sound character that makes listening truly enjoyable.
As an example, he references a recent Absolute Sound review where two different DAC headphone amps were compared and “sound exactly the same.”
To Baird, this reflects a much bigger issue. Manufacturers are obsessing over impressive spec sheets instead of making meaningful engineering choices.
What Modern DAC Makers Forgot From the 1990s
Before digital chips became so advanced, engineers had to compensate with better analog design.
To prove this, Baird points to 1990s DACs from Sonic Frontiers and Camelot Technologies. These older models couldn’t handle today’s high-resolution audio files, but many listeners still prefer their sound.
Why? Because they were built with:
- Dedicated analog output stages instead of relying purely on digital filters.
- Carefully engineered power supplies to reduce noise and improve dynamics.
- Tube output stages that added warmth and tonal richness.
“The brilliance of this stuff is that they’re doing like tube output stages and really smart engineering after the chips,” Baird said.
“They had to work hard to get this beautiful music around the chip. Really complex power supplies, et cetera.”
In short, engineers from that era couldn’t rely on chips to do all the heavy lifting. So, they focused on quality engineering beyond just the digital components. This created equipment with the unique sound characters you could actually hear.
Today’s high-end models, on the other hand, may measure well in lab tests. But, they fail to deliver the organic, lifelike sound that audiophiles crave.
Unless manufacturers relearn these lessons, Baird believes many DACs will continue sounding technically perfect but musically uninspiring.
Can We Fix This?
If modern DACs sound too similar and lack the character of their 1990s counterparts, what’s the solution? Baird suggests that today’s manufacturers should redirect their attention to analog output stages to make their products sound different.
To create a richer, more personal listening experience, it might be time to rethink how we choose the devices that shape our sound. And, rather than just checking off feature boxes or resolution specs, consider how the equipment actually connects you to your music.
To do this, Baird advocates for a hybrid approach. This means combining precise digital conversion with carefully tuned analog output stages.
In practical terms, you get all the detail and convenience of modern technology without sacrificing the emotional connection to your music.
Bonus Podcast Notes
Beyond quips about modern DACs, the conversation touched upon other audio topics.
Baird talked about the surprising comeback of physical media, including CDs, vinyl, and even cassette tapes.
He also mentioned how streaming services offer poor sound quality and pay artists little.
If you’re keen to give it a listen, you’ll get some advice on equipment selection, too.