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Tube DACs

For some time I've assumed that tube DACS are meant for direct output to power amps -- in other words, no reason to use a tube DAC if you are running through a tube preamp (unless all components are by same mfr and designed for synergy).

But lately I have seen posts implying some run Brand A tube DAC through brand B tube preamp -- say, Primal Luna 100 to Rogue RP-9. Can't find any prior threads addressing this topic directly.

So, question: am I wrong to suppose that pairing random tube DAC A with random tube preamp B is a bad, or at least a silly idea, absent a known synergy?
 


S

 

hickamore
allanblissett
143 posts
 

If those dac manufacturers didn't expect it to be used directly to amps, they should just leave off the volume controls,  no sense having the signal go through two analog stages, one good and one crappy. 

carlsbad's avatar
carlsbad
1,551 posts
 

The rule is that there is no rule.  

ghasley
2,487 posts
 

@allanblissett every dac has an analog output stage, volume or no volume.

dynamiclinearity
256 posts
 

Obviously if a DAC has a tube, the tube has nothing to do with digital. It is usually a cathode follower for impedance matching to the device the DAC is feeding and it's there to color the sound to be tube like(otherwise it's colored solid state like).

gregdude
222 posts
 

@allanblissett volume control inside a dac is often done digitally,  and if done right causes no loss of resolution. 

AFAIC tubes should be in every possible gain or buffer stage. 🙂

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