First Watt F8, passive preamp, DAC

1 Speakers are 91 db sensitivity.

2 Amplifier has 15 db of gain.

3 No use of an active preamp.

4 Desire to use DAC with volume control direct to amp.

5 Definitely a high voltage output DAC is required. With this scenario probably at least 4 to 5 volts or higher.

Charles

OK, the F8 isn't going to work. How about the J2 with 20 db gain? Do you think 20 db is sufficient?  don't want to get a preamp. My new mission is consolidation. I may need to either stick with integrateds or find speakers with higher efficiency. Frankly, the Super 9s are too big for my room anyway. 

The J2 would be a better option because it has balanced inputs, and if you run balanced interconnects from your DS DAC you will double the output voltage to 2.8V.

As another data point, I ran my Pass Labs DAC (about 1.8V max output unbalanced) into my SIT-2 (18db gain) into 94db efficent speakers with no gain issues whatsoever.  

As I type I am running the same DAC with the volume at about 1:00 (so roughly 1.0V output?) into my preamp at 14db gain into the SIT-3 with 11.5 db of gain.  1V output with 25.5db of gain is plenty on my 94db speakers.  I typically listen around 83-84db average, so pretty loud.

Personally I’d go with an integrated as needing a DAC with a good volume control will reduce your DAC choices quite a bit.  Just my $0.02 FWIW.  Best of luck.