2. amps-preamps
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DAC DIRECT IN TO AMPLIFIER OR TO PREAMPLIFIER

For the longest time, I believed that the best preamplifier is no preamplifier.  Eliminating a component from the audio chain would yield less distortion & greater purity.

Recently, I have had reason to re-think my logic on the matter - and I am (I think) changing my mind.  Better said, assuming that the preamplifier in the component you are using (in my case, a DAC) can produce 95% or greater quality sound compared to the preamplifier component, then no preamplifier is the best option.  The 5% represents the (estimated) loss of fidelity in adding another set of interconnects.

That said, most DACs do not have an outstanding preamplifier built in.  I think most have average passive attenuators, and the better DACs have active preamplifiers that are very good - but not as good as a quality preamplifier.

What are your thoughts?

 

 

128x128paul_lindemann
ricred1
2,004 posts
 

So much in this "hobby" is system dependent and/or preference based. I've had several DACs and have never preferred the sound direct compared to when a preamp is inserted into my system. 

mofojo
2,288 posts
 

Try it. Technically it should be better I guess. IME it’s not better. No meat on the bones.! Some music sounds good. Just my experience. 

blisshifi's avatar
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blisshifi
1,177 posts
 

I agree that it depends on the implementation. I’ve only come across a few DACs whose volume controls were worthy of being plugged direct into an amp. Some of my favorites here are the T+A SDV 3100 HV (which in all fairness has a true preamp stage built in), the T+A DAC 200 (its bypassable preamp stage is equivalent to a $3-5K standalone preamp), and the Aurender A20/A30. In full transparency, I am a dealer for both T+A and Aurender. That said, I have had many DACs on my floor and owned many personally before I became a dealer. Besides the older Modwright Transporter or Modwright-modded Cambridge CXN V2, I’ve never found any other DAC with a volume control less than $15K that sounded optimal without a separate preamp. This included a few Lampizator units, the PS Audio DirectStream, and the Mola Mola Tambaqui. All of those sounded worse, with the Tambaqui sounding significantly worse without a standalone preamp in the chain. 

stevehardy1
78 posts
 

I have a PS Audio Direct Stream that i ran directly into a PS BHK 250 amp. It was very pristine & revealing but seemed to be lacking somehow. A friend brought over his PS BHK Preamp one night & the difference was dramatic. Everything was more robust, rich & engaging.  It makes no sense that inserting extra cicuitry can improve the sound, but in this case it did. It was so much better that bought a BHK preamp.

pwerahera
120 posts
 

I had tried both ways. While my preamp (VTL TL 2.5) was in service, I was forced to feed the Cary Audio 303/200 CD player directly to my ML 23.5 using the built-in digital volume control. Music sound up-front and I enjoyed it for a little while. However, I cannot say I could enjoy the music for a longer period of time.

Once I got back my preamp, it was a completely a different story. Music was laid back, but depth and left-to-right imaging got more defined as opposed to direct connection. VTL 2.5 is a tube preamp (2x12AU7 and 2x12AT7) and male/female voices were so much better.

I have two DACs in the system (AR DAC2 and DAC3) feeding Cary Audio SLP 03, another tube preamp, and I don't think I will ever go back to direct connections. Preamp is a must have in your system.

 

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