No volume control when playing native DSD


My system is comprised of an RME ADI-2 DAC, Hegel H20 power amp and Spendor D7 speakers. I am presently playing my CD library from a USB drive attached to my laptop and streaming Qobuz from the same laptop. 
The problem is that, if I want to play DSD files in native format, I would not have any volume control. DoP would work, but DoP is not DSD native. I listened to some DSD albums in native format on another system and DSD sounds better than my PCM files from CD or Qobuz, as well as better than DSD over PCM conversion made by my DAC.
The question is: Do I really need an analog preamplifier in order to play DSD files in native format, or is there a workaround this whole issue?
Your help in this matter would be highly appreciated.
raduval

Showing 1 response by dtc

DoP delivers the exact same DSD bits to a DAC that the native stream does. However, if you try to change the volume of the PCM stream, you destroy the signal. So, even though DoP is bit perfect DSD, it is not an option for doing volume control.

No software does volume control on the native DSD data.   There is just not enough computer power and, even if there were, it is not clear exactly how to do it in any reasonable way.

To do volume control for DSD you need an analog volume control in your system somewhere.  Some DACs provide that function. Alternatively you can get an inexpensive volume control like the Schitt  SYS Volume Control and 2-Input Switch. It has 2 inputs and a volume control. It is basically a 2 input passive preamp. You can use it as a simple volume control or you could get a separate DSD DAC and use the switch to go between your current and the new DAC.