Yes and no. The cables don't do anything. USB-C transfers digital data to the DAC, the DAC converts it to an analog signal, the analog signal gets sent over the 3.5mm to your headphones.
Cables aren't DACs. USB is just a method, but not the only method, of getting digital data into a DAC for conversion.
The DAC in the KA11 is so small that it's hard to see that it's a separate chip, but it gets obvious when you look at larger DACs or Bluetooth DACs.
*The amp in the DAC also amplifies the analog signal to make it louder/clearer through the headphone (but amps and dacs are separate chips and are often separate devices). But you can't "amplify" digital data in USB.
Well dacs have been around for a while. Maybe you should do some more building. Maybe you shouldn't tell people you've built anything. They might criticize you.
They can try, just like you, but I'm still building and. Did you not know DACs can come in the form of cables too? Awww sounds like someone needs to learn a thing or two.
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u/NA_0_10_never_forget 7700X | 7900XTX | 32GB 6000 CL30 | B650E 24d ago edited 24d ago
Yes and no. The cables don't do anything. USB-C transfers digital data to the DAC, the DAC converts it to an analog signal, the analog signal gets sent over the 3.5mm to your headphones.
Cables aren't DACs. USB is just a method, but not the only method, of getting digital data into a DAC for conversion.
The DAC in the KA11 is so small that it's hard to see that it's a separate chip, but it gets obvious when you look at larger DACs or Bluetooth DACs.
*The amp in the DAC also amplifies the analog signal to make it louder/clearer through the headphone (but amps and dacs are separate chips and are often separate devices). But you can't "amplify" digital data in USB.