the DCC2 is an excellent preamp and 'the best' digital source (partnered with the CDSD) i have heard (equal to my DAC6/CDSD) when used as a stand alone DAC.
that said, in my system i prefer my Placette passive RVC. earlier this spring i had the DCC2 in my system for a month to compare with the Placette and the DAC6. i loved it's versitality and the way it integrated with my vinyl setup.....very slick and well thought out. i thought in my system that it gave up an element of naturalness and immediacy to the Placette and was (only in comparison to the Placette) slightly 'mechanical' sounding. i think part of the problem was that my cables (Valhalla and Opus) are so neutral that they will expose any 'character' of gear.....particularly a ss 'sound'. if i was using a slightly more forgiving cable my perceptions may have been different.
i would rate the DCC2 pre slightly better than my Levinson #32 of a few years back.....which was no slouch.
i agree wholeheartedly with Hooper's perspective on the pending DarTZeel preamp and that is the direction i expect to go too. it was 'killer' at CES.
that said, in my system i prefer my Placette passive RVC. earlier this spring i had the DCC2 in my system for a month to compare with the Placette and the DAC6. i loved it's versitality and the way it integrated with my vinyl setup.....very slick and well thought out. i thought in my system that it gave up an element of naturalness and immediacy to the Placette and was (only in comparison to the Placette) slightly 'mechanical' sounding. i think part of the problem was that my cables (Valhalla and Opus) are so neutral that they will expose any 'character' of gear.....particularly a ss 'sound'. if i was using a slightly more forgiving cable my perceptions may have been different.
i would rate the DCC2 pre slightly better than my Levinson #32 of a few years back.....which was no slouch.
i agree wholeheartedly with Hooper's perspective on the pending DarTZeel preamp and that is the direction i expect to go too. it was 'killer' at CES.