Introducing Sessions with Scott
Each week we will ask Verdant founder and our resident audio expert, Scott, for his thoughts on specific questions we are hearing from our customers
This week it's all about DACs
There’s a persistent argument floating around certain corners of the internet that all DACs — digital-to-analog converters — sound the same.
After all, digital audio is just ones and zeros… right?
Technically, perhaps. But in practice, anyone who has spent meaningful time listening to high-end digital front ends knows the reality is far more nuanced.
We sat down with Scott from Verdant Audio to talk about why DACs can sound dramatically different from one another, why system matching matters, and how listeners can begin identifying the sonic presentation that feels most natural to them.
Let’s start with the obvious question: why do people hear such dramatic differences between DACs if the underlying process is still digital conversion?
Scott:
The actual conversion process may begin with zeros and ones, but that’s only part of the story.
Where DACs really begin to differentiate themselves is in the analog output stage — the section responsible for turning that digital information into something musical and emotionally convincing.
That’s where the personality of a DAC starts to emerge.
What surprises many people is that you can have two DACs using the exact same ESS Sabre chip, yet they sound completely different because of how the manufacturer implements the surrounding circuitry, power supply, filtering, and analog stage.
And they absolutely do sound different.
Some listeners gravitate toward extreme detail and resolution, while others prefer warmth and ease. Is that distinction real?
Scott:
Very much so.
Take Weiss Engineering, for example. Their DACs tend to lean toward an incredibly revealing, highly detailed presentation. Some people might call that analytical, though I don’t think that should be interpreted negatively.
The level of detail retrieval can be astonishing. On exceptional recordings, there’s a real “wow” factor. You hear deeper into the recording — microdetail, space, texture.
But that same honesty also means the DAC exposes flaws in poor recordings.
Other DACs approach music differently.
I recently compared Weiss against Linn, and the contrast was fascinating. The Linn still delivered excellent detail, but there was also a warmth and romanticism to the presentation that made almost everything enjoyable to listen to.
Bad recordings became more forgiving. The system invited you into the music rather than dissecting it.
Neither approach is objectively right. It comes down to personal taste and system synergy.
That’s interesting because people often assume more expensive gear eventually converges toward one “correct” sound.
Scott:
It doesn’t.
If anything, higher-end audio becomes more personal as you move upward.
At a certain level, manufacturers are no longer just chasing technical competence. They’re making choices about presentation, emotion, pacing, texture, tonal balance — all the things that shape how music feels in a room.
One listener may want maximum transparency and speed. Another may prioritize body, warmth, and long-term listenability.
The idea that there’s one universally perfect DAC simply isn’t true.
For someone newer to high-end digital audio, where should they begin?
Scott:
One of the best places to start is with DACs that offer multiple filter options because they allow listeners to experiment and better understand their own preferences.
Products like the Chord TT2, Canor Verto D4S, or Bricasti M3 all approach this differently.
The Chord, for example, is a line that we don't carry, but I do recommend it as it can sound very revealing and precise but its filters allow you to shape the presentation considerably.
The Canor offers excellent flexibility and tremendous value at its price point.
The Bricasti filters are subtler, but still meaningful in how they influence presentation and texture.
What’s important is that listeners begin identifying the qualities they emotionally connect with.
One thing that came up repeatedly during this conversation is trust. Why does working with a knowledgeable dealer still matter in a world where people can research endlessly online?
Scott:
Because these products are incredibly difficult to evaluate in isolation.
Most people can’t realistically order and compare ten DACs. Even if they could, it quickly becomes expensive, exhausting, and confusing.
A good advisor helps narrow the field intelligently.
At Verdant, a lot of that process begins with conversation. We ask about the customer’s existing system, what they enjoy about it, what they feel is missing, what kind of music they listen to, and how they want the system to feel emotionally.
Then we work backward from there.
Sometimes we’ll arrange demos so customers can hear products in their own systems. And even if something isn’t the right fit, that experience still gives us another data point.
Every listening session helps refine the direction.
Final Thoughts
The deeper you go into high-end digital audio, the more you realize that choosing a DAC isn’t about finding “the best one.”
It’s about finding the right presentation for your ears, your system, and the way you experience music.
And that’s precisely why the conversation still matters.