How is the TacT RCS 2.0 as a pre amp vs

I've had an RCS 2.0 for about 9 months. I've also got
a Mark Levinson ML-1, and I've had a Spectral DMC-10,
Audio Research SP-6B and SP-14, and others.

I think the TacT can hold its own with any of the preamps
I've had in the past. It is typical of solid state, with
quick transients, solid bass, and an extended top end.
Soundstaging and imaging is excellent. I have no regrets
buying it, and have no plans to replace it. And the
digital room correction is terrific.

I think it depends on your frame of reference. When I picked up the TacT RCS 2.0 about a 8 months ago....I had every intention of using it as a preamp and selling off my Placette Dual Mono Preamp. I did extensive a-b comparisons between the TacT alone as a room correction device, preamp, and volume control vs. the TacT at fixed volume (0db) into the Placette. I found the sound to be more analogue when the TacT was fed into the Placette. I've kept the Placette (as well as the TacT) and have never looked back. Also, keep in mind that if you listen with marked attenuation from teh digital volume control, you will also be lossing significant amounts of signal clarity.

Hbrandt, it appears that you are also using the Tact as a DAC. Did you have the opportunity to try the Tact as a preamp using an outboard DAC?

Metaphysics: I am NOT using the TacT as a DAC. I am only using the TacT as a digital in - digital out room correction device. I am feeding the output from the TacT to a dCS Purcell and upsampling to 176k and delivering that to a dCS Delius DAC. I do have the DAC module in my TacT but am not using it.

Wow, then you can also use the Delius for volume control. Lots of possibilities.

Interesting that you prefer the sound with the Placette. I also have a Placette, which comes as close as I can imagine to having no sound of its own. So I wonder if the TacT's attenuation degrades the sound or if, perhaps, the Placette matches up better (impedence-wise) with amplifiers.

One thought: if you are upsampling after the TacT, I think you would not want to risk dropping any bits via digital attenuation prior to upsampling. Whihc argues for using the Placette or even the Delius, but not the TacT, to perform attenuation.