Depends on the DAC, your expectations, and what you wish to accomplish.
IMO, Very few DAC's can replace a world class preamp, but on the same token, if you find a DAC with great volume control (preamp) functionality, it takes a very good preamp to beat it.
Totaldac is the only DAC I have found that has a really great volume control solution. There are likely others, but I have no experience with them. The other DAC's I have tried that fell short in this regard are the Bel Canto DAC3.5VB MKII, Auralic Vega, W4S DAC2. These are the only others I have tried that had volume control, and they did ok, but once you turn them down, dynamics and resolution diminish.
I have read on several occasions that the Empirical Overdrive has a great volume control as well.
I am sure others will chime in with recommendations.
IMO, Very few DAC's can replace a world class preamp, but on the same token, if you find a DAC with great volume control (preamp) functionality, it takes a very good preamp to beat it.
Totaldac is the only DAC I have found that has a really great volume control solution. There are likely others, but I have no experience with them. The other DAC's I have tried that fell short in this regard are the Bel Canto DAC3.5VB MKII, Auralic Vega, W4S DAC2. These are the only others I have tried that had volume control, and they did ok, but once you turn them down, dynamics and resolution diminish.
I have read on several occasions that the Empirical Overdrive has a great volume control as well.
I am sure others will chime in with recommendations.