DAC DIRECT IN TO AMPLIFIER OR TO PREAMPLIFIER

Interesting approaches to digital level control.    Great to see innovation. Looks like these ideas could be very inexpensive and trickle down to commodity products. 

So the correct answer remains: it depends. 

I have a Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC and A Mola Mola Makua preamp. I conferred with the master US importer to confirm my long held belief and he did not equivocate AT ALL. It is ALWAYS better to have a qualify preamplflier in the chain. Always. I have never NOT used a preamplifier with my other DACS. 

I’m glad I came this one in my Agon weekly recap email. I started a thread recently with pretty much the same situation/question. I’m also have a Lumin direct XLR into class D monoblocks. My Lumin S1 (superseded by the X1) also has the LeedH volume control. I think it’s sounds nice, but I had to take the plunge to find out since I don’t have any friends that are into audio that I could borrow one from. I have a tube preamplifier arriving next week. I can’t wait to hear the difference- either way. Or, maybe it’ll sound the same? No matter what, at least I can finally hook-up and listen to my turntable again.

I have tried many preamps including Audio Research Ref 6se and Pass Labs XP 22.   My MSB Analog DAC sounds better direct to my Pass Labs XA 100.8.   Speakers are Wilson Sasha.                     Preamp adds coloration every time. DAC direct is more natural , has more detail and is definitely coherent across the frequency range 

@veerossi out of curiosity which preamp are you expecting?

I'm in the opposite situation as you, I have preamps (tube and SS) but no DAC with volume control.