Discrete R2R Ladder dac from Soekris, Absolute Sounds review.

Okay, FWIW.

I am going from Soekris DAC direct to DNA-500 to Thiel CS5i's. No separate preamp.

Listened to John Hiatt "Walk On", Adele  "19", and Grant Green "Idle Moments". Not sure how accurate this is with Google Play Store "Sound Meter":

Soekris volume control set at -22 and Sound Meter is measuring hi 70 to low 80 Dbls. 

Soekris volume control set at -27 and Sound Meter is measuring hi 60 to low 70 Dbls.

Soekris volume control set at -29 and Sound Meter is measuring hi 50 to low 60 Dbls.

Soekris volume control set at -31 and Sound Meter is measuring low 50 to hi 50 Dbls.

Initial thoughts about the sound I am hearing without the CJ 17LS2 preamp:
Almost/definitely uncomfortable at higher volumes
More detail 
More contrast between highest and lowest notes
More ambient information - deeper soundstage, maybe?
Feel like I am listening to more sound but less music?

Maybe I have to get used to it and then go back to preamp or preamp/old DAC to really tell what sounds better to me.

First World Problem, I guess.

FWIW.

Thanks for listening,

Dsper

Maybe I have to get used to it

Yes and fine tune just like you would have with the preamp in, speaker angle maybe don’t now sit on tweeter axis, angle speakers outwards more this will also give more imagining outside the speakers, and soften the tweeter a touch like the tubes do, interconnects also, etc etc
Cheers George

We shall see, er, hear!

Okay, I think the affair is over with the Soekris direct into the amp .

Reinserted the CJ preamp and the I like the sound better this way.

I still have the detail without the brightness. The texture and the liquidity/solidarity of the sound is back. More musical to me.

Okay, I think the affair is over with the Soekris direct into the amp .

This is how it starts, you’ll be back, maybe not tomorrow looking for things you mentioned by going direct that are now missing with the pre in.

More detail
More contrast between highest and lowest notes
More ambient information - deeper soundstage, maybe?

I’d add to those maybe also bass definition and depth.

Same happened to me. It just a matter of fine tuning when going direct, like you spent with the tube pre in, not just over night tune, probably months?

Cheers George