DAC/Pre's Digital attenuation vs. analog

Edorr...

I agree, you may get a slightly better results throwing an expensive tube preamp in the mix, but why? Why add that expense, another power cord and IC - why add the additional box?

The volume control on the DAC-2 is good enough for anyone EXCEPT a tech engineer who likes to read books and specs instead of actually sitting down and listening to music.

I am so tired of seeing all this tech talk about what will sound better... what... on paper it looks like it will sound better? How do you know it will sound better to person A, person B or person C, D, E, F..... ? Answer: YOU DON'T. Talk all the tech you want about volume control on DACs... I prefer to try it and determine MYSELF what sounds better.

Lots of technical talk (again), but my two cents.... buy the W4S DAC-2 (I owned one), it is a really nice piece for the money.

STOP WORRYING ABOUT ALL THIS DATA and SPECS and tech. discussions about digital volume!!!

And when I sold my DAC-2, I sold it for about $1,200. Not bad spending $1,500 for it, using it for a year or so, then getting back $1,200.

i have the ps audio separates (pwt and pwd).

the pwd has a digital volume control.

i prefer the sound using the digital vol control at 61 percent of max and using more gain on the preamp.

i think the digital volume control is inferior to the analog vol control on my passive and tibe preamps.

Edorr - The Overdive DAC has manual volume. It is more convenient to use an iPad anyway because you will need 2 remotes if the DAC has remove volume control, one for volume and one for music selection.

Does your Trinnov have digital in and digital out?

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Steve, the Trinnov has digital in/out. It also operates as a crossover. I use the Trinnov DAC for my subs, and the Trinnov digital out into my PS audio DAC.

I do lots of late night listening to music that don't need the subs, so I could play this music in 2.0 mode and use an analog volume control on the DAC if this is indeed better.

If I get your DAC but then have to control volume digitally on the Trinnov on the iPad (which is what I am doing now), I would not have the analog volume control benefit.