How to set up volume control on a DAC without a preamp

You could get a passive preamp like the Schiit Sys that will give you volume control. 

I think ROON has volume control.  I see it in the Audio-->device setup. select DSP Volume.  Then a volume control will appear on the device in ROON.

roons volume control will only work with usb or ethernet controlled dacs

then there aree xcellent dacs with a volume control

the bricasti m3 has one

and atolls dac streamers have full preamps as well

Dave and Troy

Audio Intellect NJ

Atoll Bricasti Roon specialists

I'm going thru the exact same thing.  My amp does have its own manual volume control so I can use the DAC but after getting used to remote volume control on my previous DAC I'm also looking for a different solution.

I tried a Schitt SAGA and it didn't work for me.  It turned down the volume OK but sucked all the life out of the music.  I can also choose to use Foobar2000 with it's software volume control which my not sound quite as good as AlbumPLayer but it is much better than the SAGA.

I'm not a ROON user but depending on the USB driver  it may not work.

My DAC manufacture recommended the Khozmo passive that can be purchased for under a grand (way under depending on the resister type)

What is the ROON Endpoint device?

I am creating my system and trying to decide on a DAC.  I don't have a preamp at this time and the preamps I am looking at are quite expensive.  Several DAC's that i'm looking at doesn't have volume control either.

Depending on your budget..... i believe some of these Topping dacs like E70 velvet, D70, D90, etc or the SMSLs, etc should have some halfway decent volume control. You ’may’ not need a separate preamp, depending on how picky you are.

If your budget is a bit higher, you could go with some higher quality dac/preamp combo unit like the Rotel RC-1590 mkii.

Of course, sky’s the limit on how much you could spend with varying results.

For a DAC with volume control, don’t overlook the Benchmark DAC3B combined with their LA4, which together will set you back less than some of the DACs mentioned here. The combination is exceptionally transparent, if that’s what you are looking for.

An alternative would be their DAC3 HGC, whose volume control can be replaced by an LA4 later when you are ready to buy more.

@danager I tried a Schitt SAGA and it didn’t work for me. It turned down the volume OK but sucked all the life out of the music. I can also choose to use Foobar2000 with it’s software volume control which my not sound quite as good as AlbumPLayer but it is much better than the SAGA.

Did you have Saga S? You might try Saga + (hybrid) or the most recent Saga 2 just released 2-3 weeks ago. Pretty good. Class A, fully discrete, no neg. feedback, LPS and a accurate relay-resistor volume control. It actually cures my left-right channel imbalance issue. It sounds noticeably better than Foobar2000 and much better than its sibling passive pre Syn. I paired it with the Schiit Modius and the sound is dynamic, lifelike, wider SS and good separation on my system but YMMV. 

It does not render 3D soundstage but the Dac might be the limiting factor.  The Chord Qutest I just order is on the way and may give surprises.

The passive stage in the new Saga 2 sounds pure and could get rid of sibilance when compared with low-gain. I am curious how it stacks up with Khozmo.

Never try AlbumPlayer before but it is closed down anyway.

Roon volume control is quite good, better than many preamps.  I have a lampizator DAC with volume control which I use for my pre.  Roon VC is better than the relay operated resistive ladder in the Lampi.  If I were using roon, I wouldn't buy a DAC with Volume Control (again). 

Jerry

@audiotroy It seems your data on Roon is incorrect.  It works with any endpoint device. 

passive pre with remote it is. Khozmo passive pre got lots good review.

https://khozmo.com/

@lanx0003 

Different AlbumPlayer.  It's still active and sounds fantastic.  https://albumplayer.ru/

There is a learning curve to get the most out of the upsampleing  but the DSD sounded pretty good on my previous DAC.   It is a very basic player but I guess there is a way to integrate it into other players.  I've never tried it.

I have the original SAGA.  At the time when I purchased it the SAGA +was out but  according to Schitt didn't sound better just had a better featured volume control.  As for now I just get up and turn the knob which is a pain but probably healthier.

I would buy a great preamp first , it’s crucial to the overall tone/ sound of your system.  It does the switching and drives your amp.  I think a lot of times the Amp gets a higher priority than the preamp and to me that’s backwards.  
 

Then get a good Streamer /DAC  or even better a decent streamer and excellent DAC.   
 

Go to Schiit audio for $280 you can get a remote controlled resistive ladder relay controlled preamp  shocking but true and for the $$ a good product 

the Freya only $899 if you want a tube preamp .

these are budget and solid warranty.

A digital preamp,or passive you loose detail,and especially dynamic control and separation vs a decent Active preamp .

you never stated your budget for dac ,or preamp  for $600 the Denafrips Enyo R2R 15  gen 15 dac, or the New Denafrips Gen -15 Ares for around $1k very good build and sound quality,   Schiit Audio has several choices the lowest to go the $289  model , if you pay a little more monies  in your preamp you get more power supplies and bigger transformers much better sounding.

If you get a very good DAC with a quality digitally controlled, analog volume control/preamp you do not need a preamp. Connect the DAC to your amp(s)

That's how I'm doing it with my Playback Designs DAC. I'll have a phono preamp but my DAC will have analog inputs so no preamp necessary. Preamps may go away one day.

You haven't mentioned any of the contenders (dacs) or streamer(s)..

With that said, it's hard to give any kind of recommendation 😕 

Software volume control works, but the risk of hitting play with the volume level at 100 is always there lurking in the background.

Purchase a passive volume control. The Schiit Sys is $50. There are others. 

+1 to @ivickery Note that Tidal recently had a bug that would ramp up volume to 100% when playing in shuffle mode. Just seems risky to rely on any software for volume control instead of good old reliable hardware. Be safe. 

"Version 2024.09.04 Released 9/3/2024

Here's what's new:

Shuffle Surprise: Our shuffle feature got a little too enthusiastic and cranked your volume to the max when enabled. We’ve dialed it back down, so now your ears can enjoy the perfect mix without any unexpected blasts. Shuffle on!"

I use a PSAudio Airlens streamer to a PSAudio Directstream DAC to a Pass Labs XA-25 amp it sounds very good. I have no intention of adding a pre amp. You can get some very good deals on a used DSA Mrk I. I am going to add my OPPO 105 for CD to the mix but have not considered adding a turntable or researched the possibility of connecting one to the DAC if vinyl is in the equation for you. 

I would also be concerned driving an amp directly from a DAC. Roon has had a bug in past that caused the volume to ramp to 100%. Could be catastrophic under the wrong circumstances.

you can buy dac with Exellent volume control - APL hifi dac or Playback design dac.

Thank you for all the responses.  I have been looking at DAC's around 3k-4k.  They include some older Mojo Audio DAC's, Denafrips or Holo Audio.  I have also seen the new Musetec DAC that was just released.  The preamps I was want  is  the Spatial Audio Raven or having SMc Audio build me a TLC-2 to match my SMc DNA .5 modded amplifier.  None of these DAC's except the Musetec have  volume control and I won't be able to purchase the DAC and preamp at the same time.  I did however find some inexpensive ideas until I can get a preamp.  

I have used the ps audio dac with Ethernet for years and had Roon use the dac as an endpoint which I controlled the volume thru Roon. 
Since I wanted to use i2s, I am using the airlens in front of the dac and Roon connects to the airlens as an endpoint.

Since I got rid of all my vinyl and analog pieces when I was using dsd and MQA, I also got rid of my McIntosh preamp, after I tested the sq with and without the preamp, and my system sounded better without the preamp.

I have 2 Benchmark LA-4 pre amps. Love them.  Rory at Benchmark is great to deal with. Reasonable price, 30 day trial period, Made in New York. Adjustable bias, etc. Robert TN   Bet you keep it!!

I also have the Benchmark LA4. I find a volume control on a DAC not a feature but a bug. The LA4 is for people who do not want the pre to color the sound.

Using a preamp like the LA4 (or the almost the same Holo Serene) will take your DAC to sonic levels that a built-in volume control never did for me. I use my 2 preamps on costlier amps.

The Topping pre90 premp is much cheaper and measures like the LA4 (and Serene) but it had many negative issues for me.

I would also be concerned driving an amp directly from a DAC. 

This was a big issue for me when I used the Musetec 005's DACs volume control. Those little buttons also make it hard to quickly lower the volume.

As others have said, the Schiit SYS is probably the simplest way to get a high quality potentiometer into your signal path. They make good stuff. https://www.schiit.com/products/sys

Carlsbad an endpoint is a usb or etherner device so of course it will work