Benchmark Dac 1 Pre Volume pot?

Do you mean Alps Blue Velvet? This would be expensive and large pot (conductive plastic track). It would not even fit since it is 1" square. Tiny greenish pot in my Benchmark DAC1 is quite good and has excellent tracking even at the lowest setting. The only problem I had was static noise while turning, that appeared after few years of use. I assumed that it has to be dust and applied some isopropyl alcohol thru the shaft and body gaps. Now it is perfectly quiet again.

I was worried about just such problem. It seems too small to do daily volume control duty on such device. Mainly I like to ask IF the DAC1 Pre has the same green thing and I have to get the HDR to get the "real" pot? Thanks again.

I have used the fixed level output on my DAC1 through a Dact attenuator with success. Mildly cleaner and sweeter sounding.