2. amps-preamps
  3. 186593-9734

DAC DIRECT IN TO AMPLIFIER OR TO PREAMPLIFIER

For the longest time, I believed that the best preamplifier is no preamplifier.  Eliminating a component from the audio chain would yield less distortion & greater purity.

Recently, I have had reason to re-think my logic on the matter - and I am (I think) changing my mind.  Better said, assuming that the preamplifier in the component you are using (in my case, a DAC) can produce 95% or greater quality sound compared to the preamplifier component, then no preamplifier is the best option.  The 5% represents the (estimated) loss of fidelity in adding another set of interconnects.

That said, most DACs do not have an outstanding preamplifier built in.  I think most have average passive attenuators, and the better DACs have active preamplifiers that are very good - but not as good as a quality preamplifier.

What are your thoughts?

 

 

128x128paul_lindemann
smoorenc's avatar
smoorenc
48 posts
 

My DAC has tubes and I still have a Pre-Amp. Everything sounds much better with a Pre-Amp.

oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,787 posts
 

My DAC has no volume, I prefer a fixed output. I’m all tube, pre, Amp, and DAC... my Tuners and Phono Pre are SS . If you have a a mix of analog and digital components a good preamp is a must in my experience

ricred1
2,004 posts
 

So much in this "hobby" is system dependent and/or preference based. I've had several DACs and have never preferred the sound direct compared to when a preamp is inserted into my system. 

mofojo
2,288 posts
 

Try it. Technically it should be better I guess. IME it’s not better. No meat on the bones.! Some music sounds good. Just my experience. 

blisshifi's avatar
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blisshifi
1,177 posts
 

I agree that it depends on the implementation. I’ve only come across a few DACs whose volume controls were worthy of being plugged direct into an amp. Some of my favorites here are the T+A SDV 3100 HV (which in all fairness has a true preamp stage built in), the T+A DAC 200 (its bypassable preamp stage is equivalent to a $3-5K standalone preamp), and the Aurender A20/A30. In full transparency, I am a dealer for both T+A and Aurender. That said, I have had many DACs on my floor and owned many personally before I became a dealer. Besides the older Modwright Transporter or Modwright-modded Cambridge CXN V2, I’ve never found any other DAC with a volume control less than $15K that sounded optimal without a separate preamp. This included a few Lampizator units, the PS Audio DirectStream, and the Mola Mola Tambaqui. All of those sounded worse, with the Tambaqui sounding significantly worse without a standalone preamp in the chain. 

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