A DAC (digital-to-analog converter) is the chip that does the reverse of an ADC: it reconstructs a smooth, continuous analog waveform from the stream of PCM samples so it can drive headphones or a speaker. It doesn't just connect the dots — a reconstruction (anti-imaging) filter interpolates between samples to recreate the original band-limited signal. That interpolation is exactly why the true peak of the analog output can rise higher than the loudest stored sample, the inter-sample peak problem that dBTP metering exists to catch. A DAC's clock jitter, linearity, and output stage shape the final sound, making it as decisive for playback quality as the ADC is for capture.
The book · Volume 4 of 7
Audio for Video: A Complete Guide to Sound in Video Products: From PCM and Codecs to Loudness, Accessibility, and Real-Time Voice Processing
The DAC is the last step before sound reaches the ear, and its filters and output stage shape what users hear on cheap devices. Volume 4 covers the DAC in detail: sampling and reconstruction, sample rates, bit depth and dynamic range, and PCM formats from capture to playback. Written by Nikolay Sapunov, CEO at Fora Soft.
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Describe your hardware and the issue you hear, and we will test the DAC and playback chain and recommend fixes. 250+ video products shipped since 2005.
