The amount of gold in a DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) chip might surprise you. Compared to modern CPUs, older DAC chips often had more gold inside — not for looks, but for performance and reliability. 🔹 Bonding wires – ultra-thin gold wires connect the silicon die to the chip’s pins. 🔹 Pins & connectors – gold plating prevents corrosion and ensures a stable, durable connection. 🔹 PCB traces – in some high-end devices, gold was even used on the circuit board for signal integrity. ⚠️ The re

Rob Watts of Chord Electronics on DAC designs and drawbacks - CanJam NYC 2023