Here's a thought,
I just picked up a benchmark dac-1 and I'm going straight into the amp since it has a stepped volume control. Some report that its voloume pot quality is mediocre but as is usually the case the more open the volume is the better it sounds. At this moment the sound is better using its volume control than when I ran the dac wide open with good quality passive pots at the amp.
All that to say that if you have an amp with low gain or one with low input impedence that is harder to drive so that the pot on the dac must be more "open" you would have tremendous sound. Pair the dac-1 with a $200.00 used s7700 and you would have a killer digital set-up. I'm using the Ridge Street Audio digital cable too BTW, for $270. (scarey good!) good luck
I just picked up a benchmark dac-1 and I'm going straight into the amp since it has a stepped volume control. Some report that its voloume pot quality is mediocre but as is usually the case the more open the volume is the better it sounds. At this moment the sound is better using its volume control than when I ran the dac wide open with good quality passive pots at the amp.
All that to say that if you have an amp with low gain or one with low input impedence that is harder to drive so that the pot on the dac must be more "open" you would have tremendous sound. Pair the dac-1 with a $200.00 used s7700 and you would have a killer digital set-up. I'm using the Ridge Street Audio digital cable too BTW, for $270. (scarey good!) good luck