no volume control

How are you currently controlling volume? I'm guessing through your computer's sound card or your music playback software, but please clarify. If that't the case, use the DACs RCA or XLR output to drive a headphone amp, which typically has a volume control. The software based volume controls in the computer typically cause a loss of resolution if you lower the volume more than a few dB, so that is not an optimal solution. Which headphone amp is dependent on your budget and what kind of headphones you are using. If your two channel rotel actually is an integrated amp w a headphone jack, take the DAC's output to any rotel input and then plug into headphone jack. There are converts that will allow a conventional power amplifier to drive headphones, but they cost about the same as a moderate quality headphone amp, many of which are battery operated and can be with your streaming device and headphones on the go.

To answer your question,at this time I can only listen to pandora for instance I am only able to use headphones also a three channel rotel has a volume control that I was using for 2 channel playback now only one channel as a problem of blowing fuses and am currently trying to set up with a 2 channel rotel amplifier for stereo analogue source from music fidelity dac again has no volume control which I why I am possibly looking for a good passive preamp now on audiogon a sonic eurphoria for sale and was looking to connect for two channel and best way to set up for optimal 2 channel playback.

OK, now I get it. so my recommendation would be USB out to DAC. DAC output to passive pre. since it does not appear that you need a source selector, I would recommend the Lightspeed Attenuator which you can buy from member Georgelofi. do a search to read the long thread about the LSA which is considered to be one of the true high end bargains out there. I've had one in my system while by main pre was out being upgraded. Cost difference about 20X, sound quality difference not all that much.

If you can tell me what the output impedance of the MF dac is, and also what the input impedance of the Rotel is, I can tell you if the Lightspeed Attenuator is suitable for your system.

Cheers George

Audio output impedance of dac is 50 ohms and input impedance of amplifiier is 33k ohms/1.0 volt.

Hi Sugar1. The 50 ohms drivability from your MF dac will easily drive the combined load the Lightspeed Attenuator and Rotel amp and the 1v sensitivity is also a great figure to have

Cheers George

Thanks for the information as I have been thinking about what direction to take to control the volume output as it seems so many directions to take and the lightspeed attenuator sounds like a good fit. I was looking to replicate sound to be somewhat in the middle between solid state and valve amplifcation. Could you verify this and also how to go about a purchase.
Thanks:
Gary

Sugar1, what a Lightspeed will do is give what your source (cdp, dac, etc) is giving out without anything added or subtracted, in other words it's like feeding your source directly into your poweramp, yet with control over the volume. It's like an open window to the rest of the system.
Most owners say it is more 3d, and extendeds the frequency at both ends (highs and lows) that is because it is direct coupled (good for the bass. And it's top end is almost to infinity (good for the highs) which become delicate and extended.
It is not for you if you if you want to add colourations to fix problems elswhere in the system.
You can email me on
georgehifi at optusnet dot com dot au
Cheers George