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?
I have been a DAC to amp guy for a decade. There does not seem to be any logical explanation as to why a preamp would improve a signal. To the contrary, it seems that adding more circuitry to make the signal pass through would cause it to deteriorate. So I decided to buy a tube preamp. It caused an amazing improvement. I cannot explain it. My wife noticed it immediately one floor above the system and referred to it as ethereal. It was an immediate improvement. All of my friends agree. |
++1 @markalarsen @ghdprentice I had a similar experience recently, and it completely converted me from the ’no preamp is the best preamp’ camp to being a preamp believer. People often attribute it to synergy, but I really wish someone could explain exactly which elements, components or interactions in the gears contribute to better synergy. Impedance matching is just a necessary condition but not a sufficient condition. |
