Thank you for all the responses. I have been looking at DAC's around 3k-4k. They include some older Mojo Audio DAC's, Denafrips or Holo Audio. I have also seen the new Musetec DAC that was just released. The preamps I was want is the Spatial Audio Raven or having SMc Audio build me a TLC-2 to match my SMc DNA .5 modded amplifier. None of these DAC's except the Musetec have volume control and I won't be able to purchase the DAC and preamp at the same time. I did however find some inexpensive ideas until I can get a preamp.
How to set up volume control on a DAC without a preamp
I am creating my system and trying to decide on a DAC. I don't have a preamp at this time and the preamps I am looking at are quite expensive. Several DAC's that i'm looking at doesn't have volume control either. Is it possible to set up volume control in ROON or HQ Player until I can get the money together for the preamp?
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I have used the ps audio dac with Ethernet for years and had Roon use the dac as an endpoint which I controlled the volume thru Roon. Since I got rid of all my vinyl and analog pieces when I was using dsd and MQA, I also got rid of my McIntosh preamp, after I tested the sq with and without the preamp, and my system sounded better without the preamp. |
I also have the Benchmark LA4. I find a volume control on a DAC not a feature but a bug. The LA4 is for people who do not want the pre to color the sound. Using a preamp like the LA4 (or the almost the same Holo Serene) will take your DAC to sonic levels that a built-in volume control never did for me. I use my 2 preamps on costlier amps. The Topping pre90 premp is much cheaper and measures like the LA4 (and Serene) but it had many negative issues for me.
This was a big issue for me when I used the Musetec 005's DACs volume control. Those little buttons also make it hard to quickly lower the volume.
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As others have said, the Schiit SYS is probably the simplest way to get a high quality potentiometer into your signal path. They make good stuff. https://www.schiit.com/products/sys |
- 29 posts total