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DACs with volume controls

Okay, I love all this audiophile stuff, but I'm a private school teacher (little money). So are there any decent used or new DACs that I can purchase with a volume control and hence skip the need for the preamp? I'm thinking I can go 1.5 grand, maybe 2 if I wait till summer. Anyone out there use this stuff or heard it? I'm new to this sonic world and have only read about the Wavelength DAC, don't know any others.
tbadder
davewavaolcom
193 posts
 
pass labs d1 $1500-2000 used.
eastein
99 posts
 
I tried using a new but cheap sony dvd player as a transport with an MSB Gold DAC. I was hoping this combination would work but it was not really listenable. I bought a rega planet to use as a transport and it sounds significantly better on its own than the sony/msb combination did. The rega/msb together are another fairly substantial improvement over the rega alone.

2c
tonykay
1,311 posts
 
Since you mention that you have "little money", I recommend looking for a Benchmark DAC1. When introduced, they sold for $995 but today you can find them for a few hundred dollars. I saw one the other day on Craigslist for $200. And yes, it does have a volume control.

If you can go to $2K, you have a multitude to choose from. Just type DAC in the "Search Discussions" on this forum and you will find a ton of recommendations.
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