I was talking to a top engineer friend of mine and we were discussing the merits of spending $2000 on a stereo DA converter versus running straight out of a good desk such as a Yamaha digital console (he has a DM2000, I use an 01V96 V2 as a router/patchbay/monitor system).
 
Any real-world experience here to share with me? Love to hear your thoughts.
 
Ludwig

There can and are differences.  Whether they can be heard is questionable comparing high quality to same.  But technically the number of bit conversion for one can affect the fidelity.  The analog amplifiers are another.  Signal to noise ratio, etc. 

Usually preamps are involved as well. I can definitely hear differences between preamps. I've never taken the time to try to hear differences between converters where differences are isolated to the converters. I can try with my gear. Use the same preamp and run it to two different converters. I can't imagine caring too much about this. In general, all my converters are better than my Mics. If they add any noise, it will be lost miles beneath the noise floor of the Mics.

Features matter. The DigiCheck and TotalMix of RME are awesome. Auto level features differ. Onboard effects matter.

That's what I reckon too - I can't imagine spending $2000 on a DAC is going to do anything except give you something to justify to your buddies! :O)
 
 

ABSOLUTELY there are differences, 
that can easily be heard,
on a good monitoring system.
 
if your room and monitors aren't up to snuff,
it wont be as obvious.
 
if there were no differences,
surely the pros would not be spending top dollar on their converters...
 
but they do.
 

Most modern converters are very good - even the cheap ones.  The chips inside are mostly the same, although the other analog components are better and worse - which seems to have as much to do w/ longevity of the unit as sound.
 
Many moons ago I was disappointed when I switched from a Presonus Firepod to a TC Konnket.  Of course, as above, I was also listening through the pres, too (comparing acoustic recordings).  There was a difference, but small, and I assume a lot of that was the better pres.  I assumed there should be an obvious difference that would jump out - "like a veil was lifted" sentiment.
 
Later when I stepped up to TASCAM UH-7000s I could hear a difference or maybe as one gets older one's hearing gets better (or you just learn what to listen for?).  I was brighter - which isn't always a great thing - on some old-style songs the darker presonus sounded better since it better fit a low fi, old style music (or it didn't bother me).  And there is littler difference between the 7000 and the TASCAM US series.
 
Converters would be the last thing I'd worry about, unless I had the extra funds for a Burl or other top notch converter.  Even then that would be more of a marketing (or feel-good-about-yourself) thing than actual music making.
 
 

It's music tech equivalent of unicorn and fairy dust. You probably won't notice any but it might be there......;-)
 
Well isn't it industry standard quality and results. You might hate the Apple product but you know what the quality should be like. Just for the record I use Android.
 

boy, did i hear the difference when i upgraded from my pcie card (maudio audiophile 192) to the rme babyface pro.
 

You get what you pay for. Reduced jitter when converting from digital to analogue and vice versus. However anything done in the daw should sound the same after it has been recorded in the digital domain regardless of sound device.

I also noticed a very big difference when I moved to an original RME Babyface, versus the ESI Juli@ I was running before.
 
The Juli@ is a perfectly decent card and very useable and stable. But the RME -- even an older unit like my original Babyface -- sounds significantly better, and in particular, I found it much easier to do a final mix on it. Everything just sits easier, and blends better, and placing instruments in the stereo field is way easier on the RME than it ever was on the Juli@.