CD direct to Amp/Current TAS issue ?

you need to use a cd player w/ volume control. on the low end are units like the marantz cd67, i think cal audio has one or two, then resolution audio 50, a couple others and the wadias. the thing is, to get the best sound you need an excellent volume control(attenuator). thats where the wadias (all of them) excell- all done digitally. none of these options will hurt your system. also the wadias have inputs for other digital sources. good luck.

Hi Daddyo; I enjoyed the latest issue of TAS too, and like you, especially the various stereo systems they put together at different price levels. Anyway, just for the helluva it, I ran good ICs from my Sony CA9ES ($700. MSRP) variable out terminals directly to my amp (very good amp). The sound was so incredibly detailed, etched, wiry, and shrill that it almost made my ears bleed. I blame the cheap variable volume control of the Sony CD player for the harsh sound (control is on the remote, and it worked fine). I quickly learned that if you're going to do this, you need a CD player with a high quality volume control. I replugged the CD output back into my outboard DAC, tube pre-amp, and went back to being relaxed and happy. Happy listening. Craig

... Of course the CD player also has to have a high quality built in DAC to sound good, and the CA9 doesn,t. I also use the well regarded Sony XA7 that has an excellent built in DAC. I'll have to try its variable outs (it's harder to get to). Craig.

To achieve the best possible sound you must get a CD player that uses an analog volume control like the Wadia, Theta or Resolution Audio. Many other cd players use digital volume controls that just throw away bits to reduce volume. Great Pre-amps should be transparent so that even if you where to connect a CD player through it it should sound the same as connecting the CD player directly to the amp since the main function of the pre-amp is to provide switching of multiple sources and to control volume. Even though many people use pre-amps to change the quality of the sound a perfect pre-amp should in no way effect the sound of the source, just pass the sound without adding or subtracting anything. If your only source is going to be CD then save the money you would spend on a pre-amp and the extra set of cables and put that money towards a high quality CD player with analog volume controls, you should be very happy.

My two cents worth.. I agree with many but not all of the above points. One key point is that a preamp is usually easier to drive than a power amp - particularly some low input impedence solid state power amps. So in the design of a DAC's output stage, the easy task of driving a preamp will usually be in mind - but not so with players like Wadia, Resolution etc that are specifically designed to drive power amps. Whereas in designing a preamp the more difficult task of driving a power amp will be in mind. So you need to try it out and check you do not encounter typical drive problems such as tonal thinning, or loss of dynamics. Second point is just in response to CDguru's point - I am sure some people do think buying a tube preamp is beneficial because of its effect on tone (even though they are misguided), but it is not accurate to suggest that this is the only reason. The other reason is that people prefer tube preamps in order to eliminate the unnatural and unmusical characteristics of many solid state preamps. Both solid state and tubed preamps are flawed, but in different ways. And before anyone accuses me of preferring the colouration of tubes - I currently use a solid state preamp.