Are 1-bit CD players better than multi-bit players?
There are some excellent sounding 1-bit players and some excellent sounding multi-bit players. Some feel that the 1-bit technology has more future because it can be improved with the rapidly improving digital technology, while the multi-bit players improve with slowly improving analog technology. Multi-bit also has its advocates. All of the various D/A converters try to do the same thing, and try to achieve the exact same ideal performance. How well they succeed is more a function of their skill and the quality of the parts that they buy than the technique that they use. In other words, the architecture of a D/A converter is less important than the quality of its implementation.
In a nutshell, they are virtually the same. There are some excellent sounding 1-bit players and some excellent sounding multi-bit players. Some feel that the 1-bit technology has more future because it can be improved with the rapidly improving digital technology, while the multi-bit players improve with slowly improving analog technology. Multi-bit also has its advocates. All of the various D/A converters try to do the same thing, and try to achieve the exact same ideal performance. How well they succeed is more a function of their skill and the quality of the parts that they buy than the technique that they use. In other words, the architecture of a D/A converter is less important than the quality of its implementation.
