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DACs With Killer Built-In Preamps

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I see a lot of DACs with volume controls with the ability to act as a preamp. The Audio Research Reference Dac/Digital Media Bridge ($15k) has a volume control and a lot of innards of its Reference 5SE preamp...which makes for a very serious preamp section on that DAC.

Are there any DACs with voulume controls under $7k that can compete with top-tier preamps?
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128x128mitch4t
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
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
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,945 posts
 
"This is simple electronics 101"

Yes, in "High End Audio 550", fundamentals still count for a lot, perhaps even more so than bank accounts. :^)
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,442 posts
 
I understand many things audio and the Eximus dac has enough drive. Just found my tube preamp sounds better.
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,555 posts
 
@ Grannyring, Hi, Is Dude making a unit that has balanced inputs yet?,,, Cheers.
mlapenta
104 posts
 
I struggled with this issue but decided with DAC/DSD changing all the time, sticking with good tube pre-amp and separate dac. that is for main rig, for the pc setup in office, DAC into active speakers does it for me.
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