DAC Output Voltage

[esldude]

Gain staging.  Your DAC at max voltage should drive your amplifier to right at its max output which should drive your speaker to its maximum output.  That will give maximum signal to noise.  Now sometimes right at the ragged max distortion is a little higher, so maybe you back off 3 db at each step giving a little headroom to the whole system.  SNR might drop a smidgen, but THD could be lower, and the system easy to operate in a normal listening range.  

 

So why all these gain differences in amps, and output differences in DACs and efficiency differences in speakers? Because of all the possible ways to add it all up.  

 

Of course your good pro interface units and DACs will have variable output configurations like the RME does. 

[esldude]

16 hours ago, mansr said:

This was about generating a higher voltage from a 5 V input. That isn't difficult.

I've seen the TDK Lamda chips used for this.  Some versions of those are able to isolate input from output sides.  Other companies make similar of course.  Most aren't isolating.

[esldude]

10 minutes ago, mansr said:

There are hundreds of boost regulators from dozens of companies to choose from. It's a solved problem.

Oh of course.  But TDK has audiophile cred from the cassette tape days. 

[esldude]

6 minutes ago, mansr said:

Hmm, sand is just crushed rock, and paper beats rock.

Just watch out for scissors.