the Audiolab 8000DAC was one of the decent mid-range DACs in the 90s during the sunset era of the then hi-fi scene.

Back then, the accuracy of the digital chips are nowhere near the precison and performance of a modern day DAC from say Burr-Brown or Wolfson. HOWEVER, the Audiolab DAC, it being a no nonsense "hi-fi" piece of equpment, also means thats its build with the intended standards and a "tender loving care" as expected in a dedicated piece of hi-fi gear.

Likewise, you would find really modern DAC chips in AV amps and PC/Audio soundcards but when really put to critical listening, does not quite cut it as audiophile (at least of the old school) grade.

As there is much more to building a good DAC that just the schemes employed (1 but, Multibit, hybrid, etc etc) but also how clean is the power supply, how well are the digital filters implemented, clock/crystal accuracy (jitter) , the analogue stages (and this probably influences alot more on the sound than most people might admit), etc etc...

An example would be the DAC in modern day iPods which uses a really good Wolfson D/A chip. But due to space contraints, the analog circuitry in an iPod is just about sufficient for "acceptable" sound on earphones and not much else. On the other hand if you could stream the digital portion of the iPod into a say.. Theta DSPro Generation V DAC, the sound would be at a whole new level of quality and dimension. (Mind us all, the Theta ProGenV is already about 10+ years old in terms of technology and in PC-shelflife terms, its way gone beyond obsolete... !)

.... But personally, the 8000DAC is still worth a try , as with Hi-Fi gear of yesteryears, the built-quality is the saving grace.



p.s. , excuse my typos and rotten grammar, was typing in a less than ideal condition just now...

This post has been edited by mugenfoo: Jun 23 2008, 12:10 AM

Well, i wont be so quick to say the DACs in the AV amps might be better than the Audiolab 8000DAC just yet .... Some of these AV amps' DACs are really harsh and nasty sounding ... unless u got something like a Krell Showcase system or a Theta Casablanca system or the likes...