Who is using their DAC as a preamp?

aberyclark
Who is using their DAC as a preamp?

Using dacs or cdp’s that most have digital domain volume control, is the most transparent/dynamic, least colored way of hearing the source.

But only if the volume is at or above 75% of full volume. Any lower because it’s too loud than 75% and you run the risk of "bit stripping" eg: 14bit resolution instead of 16bit, and 12 bit if you go even lower.

All is not lost if this is happening and it’s too loud over 75%, you simply use a good passive volume control between the dac and amp, and pre-set the level on it so your dac is used above 75% for the level you need.

Cheers George

I played around w/o a [preamp for a while (Esoteric K03) but when I added a preamp, my life changed.  You really need a good preamp to have incredible midrange, depth and texture, resolution, etc.  Try it.  Game Changes.  I started with an Ayre (sold it for $1650 on here) and moved up to a Jeff Rowland Criterion (got for $10 grand here) and the sound is just plain incredible.

You really need a good preamp to have incredible midrange, depth and texture, resolution, etc.

Sorry but it must be coloration’s your hearing, and if you like that that’s fine it suits your system, some like to color the sound of their source if not happy with it.
But it’s impossible for a preamp to make up (midrange, depth and texture, resolution) itself, and then add it to the music that comes from the source information. Better off getting the sound of the source right.
  
Classic Ivor Tifenbrun (Linn) saying,
"It all starts at the source, get that right and your 1/3rd of the way home, get it wrong and your forever chasing your tail changing things to make up for it".

Cheers George

George,
Linn also makes some great preamps. I've been running a Linn Klimax Kontrol & the sound quality is much better (in ways cerrot states above) than that of running the DAC. 

George,
Linn also makes some great preamps.

I believe you like the coloration/distortion, it brings, but it impossible for it to make (midrange, depth and texture, resolution) itself
Pass Labs as well they all need to make money for the company, and this is what Nelson Pass says.

Nelson Pass,

We’ve got lots of gain in our electronics. More gain than some of us need or want. At least 10 db more.

Think of it this way: If you are running your volume control down around 9 o’clock, you are actually throwing away signal level so that a subsequent gain stage can make it back up.

Routinely DIYers opt to make themselves a “passive preamp” - just an input selector and a volume control.

What could be better? Hardly any noise or distortion added by these simple passive parts. No feedback, no worrying about what type of capacitors – just musical perfection.

And yet there are guys out there who don’t care for the result. “It sucks the life out of the music”, is a commonly heard refrain (really - I’m being serious here!). Maybe they are reacting psychologically to the need to turn the volume control up compared to an active preamp.

Cheers George