Good Preamp with Digital Input

EMM Labs DCC2 would be hard to beat as a DAC/pre combination. the new Signature Edition version, when matched with the SE CDSD transport, will give you the best digital out there.

most of the other DAC/pre's use a digital volume control and digitize all inputs; a bad thing IMHO.

Theta Gen VIII. The Z-systems, good as it is, is all digital, no analog and no D/A.

Kal

Mike,

By nature, a pre-amp would generally not include a digital input. Typically a pre-amp is an analog device and a digital input would indicate that you need a DAC inside the pre-amp.

There are some all digital preamps that have digital inputs, but convert the analog sources to digital before "processing" them. There are also several pre-amp/DAC combinations on the market.

I've used the Monarchy Model 33 DAC/pre-amp and thought it was excellent at the $400 used price I paid for it.

You will increase your choices if you simply buy the pre-amp you want and buy a an external DAC to provide the digital input you require. The output of the DAC would be connected to your analog pre-amp, therefore the "pre-amp" would not need a digital input.

Enjoy,

TIC

I second the idea to simply use an external DAC. You gain significantly more flexibility.

Michael

Bryston has one, I think the model number just changed from the BP-25DA to the BP-26DA or something like that. It's supposed to be just a regular analog preamp with a dac card in place of one of the inputs. If it's from Bryston it's probably pretty good and not too pricey, check it out.