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Any comments on DAC going direct to power amplifier or to pre-ampliifer?

My local retailer HIGHLY RECOMMENDS the use of a pre-amplifier.  Bricasti believes that going direct to a power amplifier sounds better.  And, I also know that everyone had a "different opinion" about going direct or using a pre-amplifier.  

I am running my Bricast1 M1 SE DAC direct to my Hypex NCore NC400 Bridged Mono Block class D power amplifiers (no pre-amplifier) and like the sound quality very much.   

For me, the sound is more natural and clearer by going direct to a power amplifier. Of course, I think the M1 SE DAC has special “custom" circuits in the analog section to make it sound so good. I returned home and listened to my system.  It sounds terrific and I continue to enjoy and recommend the Bricasti M1 SE DAC.

Please note that we removed the R141 (circuit) from my Hypex NCore NC400 bridged mono blocks, thus lowering amplifier gain by 14 dB, requiring 14 dB higher M1 volume setting for same playback level.  Bricasti says the goal is to have the M1 CLOSE to 0db front panel attenuation.  If you reduce the volume on the M1 SE DAC, you cause more bit reduction meaning you lose sound quality.   We discussed this modification with Hypex and they approved the removal of the R141 circuit.  They suggested we be very careful removing the 4 R141 chips (for my 4 NC400 amplifiers) to avoid board damage.  

I noticed that many of the newer DAC’s (even the new Ayre QX-5 Twenty DAC and many others) have volume controls meaning their DAC/Pre-amplifiers are designed to go direct to a power amplifier (as an option, of course).  

What are your experiences of going direct to a power amplifier or using a pre-amplifier?  Have you compared going direct vs. going to a pre-amplfier and noticed any sound quality differences?  Have you gotten different results from using different DAC's and amplifiers?   Your comments are appreciated.  Thanks.





hgeifman
michaeljbrown
146 posts
 
Using a Schitt Saga, going straight to the amp, and then comparing the effect of switching to my tube preamp, provides me with the answer: the tube over a longer period of time is easier to live with as far as the sound; the digital is more convenient, and still sounds good, which is the story of the entire debate!
Happy New Year.

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Using a Schitt Saga, going straight to the amp, and then comparing the effect of switching to my tube preamp, provides me with the answer
The Schiit Saga is a tube preamp with unity gain?

Cheers George 
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
Buon Natale Guido!  Nice to hear from you!  Have a great New Year Guido.  Forza!  
amgradmd's avatar
amgradmd
10 posts
 
I have recently carried out this experiment having recently acquired a PS Audio Directstream DAC which functions as a pre with bitperfect digital volume control and can be connected directly to the amp. My normal setup utilized an Anthem AVM 60 pre/pro which is a fantastic multimedia preamp and is also very strong at 2 channel. Because of the small and slightly irregular shape of my listening room, I utilize the Anthem DSP ARC in order to integrate my dual JL Fathom subs, which it does phenomenally well. Anyway, going directly into my Mcintosh MC205 obviously bypasses the subs and the result was predictable: very clear and transparent but bass thin. Plus I missed impact I get from the lack of subs, which I have time and phase aligned. I don't feel the Anthem significantly colors the music either. I could live with direct the setup but would always be wanting the subs back! 
rja's avatar
rja
2,370 posts
 
You gotta try it to find out. Some times it works, some time not so much.
Haven't owned a preamp in years. Almost every DAC or CDP I've owned has had volume control going way back.
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