DACs With Killer Built-In Preamps

Just a quick update. I put my TRL Dude back into my system after living with a preampless system for many months. Well, I missed the Dude and it was a mistake to take it out of the system. I think removing the Dude gave the impression that the music gained transparency and improved detail.

Well, that was my ears tricking me for a short while as over the long haul I started to find the music a little brittle, forward and a tad threadbare. I put the Dude back into the system and the music was back.

My preampless system give an impression or perception of improved detail when I found is was really highlighting this area as the body and other musical cues were missing without the Dude.

This was not apparent until time made it absolutely clear. The Dude abides!

Granny - this demonstrates that your DAC has insufficient drive to be used direct.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

I respectfully think that had nothing at all to do with it. All the numbers and
specs line up to make the dac sing in my system, it did sing , but not as
well as the active Dude.

Or perhaps we agree......what do mean by drive?

Granny - drive refers to the current-driving capability of the DAC output. If it has 1 ohm output impedance, then it can drive more current than one with 100 ohms output impedance. This is simple electronics 101, batteries and bulbs. The current output capability of the DAC driver is a function of the size of the output device and the power delivery to that device. Either thing can limit the current when di/dt is required (change in voltage over change in time)

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"This is simple electronics 101"

Yes, in "High End Audio 550", fundamentals still count for a lot, perhaps even more so than bank accounts. :^)