What are the DAC specs of the Connect?

  • 4 January 2019
  • 8 replies
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I am planning on adding a turntable to my connect, if I connect via RCA (pre-amped obvs), then what bit rate and frequency will the connect DAC digitise at? If I use an external DAC what is the maximum bit rate and frequency that will played across my Sonos system if connected optically? I want to know in terms of whether its worth buying a better deck than using one of my SL1200's . . . Can't find any DAC specs anywhere

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8 replies

There never could be any benefit of vinyl over digital, unless of course you appreciate the ritual and the poor technical performance (tracking error distortion, SNR, wow & flutter, etc). Vinyl's dynamic range is generally held to be at best equivalent to 12-bit, and a typical frequency of response of up to 20kHz is encompassed by a 44.1k sampling rate
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I think 16bit is fine but as to whether 44.1Khz is good enough for vinyl depends on the turntable. With that spec there is no benefit over a CD which is disappointing . . .
The link below is an educational read that focuses on debunking audiophile myths. See section 6 for a discussion on the audio quality of vinyl:

https://numeralnine.wordpress.com/2013/10/09/a-brief-guide-to-audio-for-the-skeptical-consumer/

You are of course free to disagree, but such disagreement would be based on faith, not science. And there's no arguing with faith.
Oh dear . . .
To start with, a Line-In signal goes through an ADC not a DAC. It would be digitised at the native rate of 16-bit/44.1kHz. More than adequate for vinyl.

As for connecting an external DAC, the digital outs are 24-bit/44.1kHz. However the 24-bit is only used to provide 'headroom' -- or more accurately 'tailroom' -- for the 16-bit content, so that the Sonos digital volume control can make up to approx -48dB of adjustment before any information starts to be truncated. The lowest byte populates as the volume is reduced from Full Scale.
Thanks and I take you're point about DAC A/DAC, I was paraphrasing. I think 16bit is fine but as to whether 44.1Khz is good enough for vinyl depends on the turntable. With that spec there is no benefit over a CD which is disappointing . . .
The link below is an educational read that focuses on debunking audiophile myths. See section 6 for a discussion on the audio quality of vinyl:

https://numeralnine.wordpress.com/2013/10/09/a-brief-guide-to-audio-for-the-skeptical-consumer/

An excellent compendium. Archimago is also often a good read. I particularly enjoyed his analysis of what MQA is and what it isn't.
Again, thanks for your input on the ADC - In relation to sample rate, i was merely expressing a disappointment in the spec as significantly higher sample rates are available, In regards to facts, don;t believe everything you read. 'typically' and 'general' typically negate definition of 'fact'; there are lots of facts available thus - Vinyl goes well above 20k (up to 120K) and lower than most DA´s down to 5 hz.

But it can't take much dynamics in the highs so a vinyl mastering has very controlled highfreq dynamics. So there is no limited frequency range but limited dynamics...and consequently records have a smoother sound in the high range just because the cutting engineer needed to tame that high mid peaks to get a smooth cut.

Than you have resonances of the needle in the groove that actually work as a kind of subharmonic syntheziser in the 9 hz region.. so beside the noise and rumble it really makes the lowend fatter.. that together with the more controlled smoother highs..results in the often as better experienced sound of a vinyl release in comparison to its cd version..

highs reduce thru playtime..so the well used record dont goes up to 25 k anymore with its signal..but with its noise floor..
Thats also a problem for digitisation of old records..listen to them on the record the noise floor blend nice into the ultrasonics.. after AD conversions its bandlimited and appears more dominant. To do a real 100% transfer a of record into the digital domain you would need a dc coupled AD to properly capture the
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Fudjster - There is no way Sonos is going to meet your needs, you need to buy some really top end gear to get what you want.