DAC/Pre's Digital attenuation vs. analog

Edorr...

I agree, you may get a slightly better results throwing an expensive tube preamp in the mix, but why? Why add that expense, another power cord and IC - why add the additional box?

The volume control on the DAC-2 is good enough for anyone EXCEPT a tech engineer who likes to read books and specs instead of actually sitting down and listening to music.

I am so tired of seeing all this tech talk about what will sound better... what... on paper it looks like it will sound better? How do you know it will sound better to person A, person B or person C, D, E, F..... ? Answer: YOU DON'T. Talk all the tech you want about volume control on DACs... I prefer to try it and determine MYSELF what sounds better.

Lots of technical talk (again), but my two cents.... buy the W4S DAC-2 (I owned one), it is a really nice piece for the money.

STOP WORRYING ABOUT ALL THIS DATA and SPECS and tech. discussions about digital volume!!!

And when I sold my DAC-2, I sold it for about $1,200. Not bad spending $1,500 for it, using it for a year or so, then getting back $1,200.

Reading all the specs and tests in the world (on paper) about volume control will not tell you ANYTHING about how good a DAC will sound. Please stop this nonsense.

Not sure what the Benchmark unit costs, from who I have talked to, the W4S DAC-2 beats any of the Benchmark units. I really liked my DAC-2... was connected XLR direct into a BAT VK-55, sounded great. One small box does so much. They can price it that way b/c they do not sell at dealers. And like I mentioned... the resale is great if you decide to try something else. I also tried their big class D mono amps - not the same experience AT ALL. I guess I just prefer the tube sound, but I did not like any of those new amps with the B&O ICE modules... and I tried several.

I was using the DAC-2 off a netbook PC with mainly FLAC and WAX at 24/96 and some 24/192.

I got a great deal on a demo LINN Akurate DS (latest version) and it was quite an upgrade, so I sold my W4S unit.

Yes, just personal preference (although I have not personally owned the Benchmark, I am going off what others have said). I think the DAC-2 is a really great piece of gear. And if it were me, and I was only doing digital files, I would go without a preamp. If you have other sources (CD player, LP), then I suppose you would have to have at least a phono preamp. You could hook a CD player into the DAC-2 but this would make no sense... it would never sound as good as a hi-res file.

Dne

I said that I have been told that the W4S DAC-2 sounds better than the Benchmark units. Correct, I have not owned the Benchmark unit. I am sorry if you own the Benchmark unit... you are missing out.