What are you using a volume attenuator? The DAC5 only has 20 bit resolution and a digital one may throw bits away? Or it may just be that there is a impedance mismatch between them. Although my DAC has plenty of drive (Weiss DAC2 -50 ohm), with my present rig I am using a TVC. There is a small sacrifice in dynamics, but has added body and weight. YMMV, and probably will.
Not so Easy to Skip the Preamp?
I have just tried to assemble a system for a third office, using a Behringer A500 in stereo.
I have tried a Hagtech USB interface to output SPDIF ito an Audio Research DAC5 and both the optical and RCA outputs of a Behringer interface.
As I am only using one input (the PC) I hoped to skip a preamp and any extra sets of cables.
In all three cases as above, however, the sound was pretty bad - congested, veiled and distorted almost as if the speakers were blown.
Is this because neither an interface box or the ARC DAC would have sufficient gain to drive a power amp correctly?
This was not immediately obvious to me because there is sufficient volumn and the VU meters on the amp are well below clipping - it just sounds bad.
Thanks for any ideas - maybe a cheapo Parasound preamp would help for these types of "systems".