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DAC plus Preamp or DAC-Preamp or DAC-Volume Control ?

I recently purchased a 2A3 amplifier. Preamplifier and Speakers have not been chosen.

This will be a ’learning / experiential’ system. My intentions and goals are that this ’JOURNEY’ to a new system be radically different than how I went about putting my current ’primary’ system together.

I will be leaving my front end (computer audio) system the same.

The ’secondary’ system will bifurcate post DAC at the preamp OR with a new DAC/Preamplifier combo component.

The purpose of this thread is to ask for your recommendations and suggestions for:

- Preamplifiers

OR

- DAC + Full Preamplifier // DAC + Volume Control Combo Components

to pair with Scott Sheaffer’s Found Music 2A3 monoblock amplifier. Scott advises that this amp is unfussy with respect to preamp pairings, solid state or tube, or digital volume controls.


Current system (general components): Small Green Computer Server > Sonore Signature Rendu SE > Denafrips Terminator DAC > T+A PA 3100 HV Integrated Amplifier > Tekton Design Double Impact SE Speakers.


Any additional thoughts and advice related to the topic are welcome.

Thank You!
david_ten
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,787 posts
 
@david_ten


 
FWIW its possible to set up an SET to accept and process balanced signals in the differential domain- so no need for an adapter. The mod can be done to any SET and is really quite simple!
dsper
663 posts
 
Hi david_ten,

You ended up in some rarefied atmosphere🤑!

My sincere hope is that you truly enjoy your choice.

It will be interesting to hear your listening impressions once things meld together a bit.

Thanks for listening,

Dsper
david_ten OP
5,480 posts
 
@atmasphere  Thanks, Ralph. How would I go about doing so?
david_ten OP
5,480 posts
 
@dsper  Thank you!  I will be sure to update in a few weeks.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,787 posts
 
Thanks, Ralph. How would I go about doing so?
You could take the amps to any competent technician, have them contact us (651-690-2246) and we can tell them how its done (instructions are below). Otherwise you could also ship it to us.
Any SET has an input tube. Normally the signal comes in on the grid of the tube. This is the center pin of the RCA connection and also pin 2 of the XLR that will have to be installed. Pin 1 of the XLR is the ground of the RCA.


Pin 3 is where its different- that is connected through a coupling cap to the cathode of the input tube. If the tube has a cathode bypass cap, the ground side of the cap is lifted and connected to pin 3 (and when the RCA connector is in use, pin 3 is connected to pin 1 via a jumper you place in the XLR connector). If the amp lacks a cathode bypass cap (which will be an electrolytic), you sort out the value needed and connect it between the cathode of the input tube and pin 3, with the plus side to the cathode.This connection is not balanced, but it **is** differential. The amp’s character doesn’t change, while being able to process both phases of the balanced connection.

Plan B: install an input transformer to make the conversion. At least with our preamps, plan A above sounds better.
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