Top notch integrated vs DAC direct into stereo amp

Audionet describes their Humboldt as Stern + Heisenberg.
That with a great DAC would be killer.  So would the Stern + Heisenbergs.

The Humboldt power is listed as : 
Output Power 2 x 320 W into 8, 2 x 460 W into 4.

The Heisenbergs would be:
Output power:530 W into 8 Ω
1,050 W into 4 Ω
2,100 W into 2 Ω

So the difference in a companies Integrated vs it similar separates is often the power rating, which you may or probably may not need based on your speakers and room.  And you save a pair of (expensive?) interconnects with the integrated, and save considerable space.  Those are the main reasons to consider integrated vs separates, to me.

Forgot to comment about DAC direct into Amps.  Tried this a couple of times, and both times when a good preamp was inserted the sound improved noticeably.  My ONLY source is my DAC and I still will always have a preamp (until I get the Humboldt!!!).  Ken

If you only have one source, then why not?

Well guys a guy that owns Stern + Heinsenberd + Totaldac Twelve compared with and without Stern just adding a Totaldac D1-Driver in place of the Stern.Suprisingly he liked better the presentation going direct into Heisenbergs without the Stern in the chain.I could get a very good deal on a pair of Heisenbergs.

My take is the simplest path is best.

Correct, as most dac’s today (not tube output ones) have output stages the equal and maybe even better than many active preamps are. So if you have a dac that has a volume control use it direct into your poweramp, if no volume control then use a passive preamp.

Nelson Pass,

“We’ve got lots of gain in our electronics. More gain than some of us need or want. At least 10 db more.

Think of it this way: If you are running your volume control down around 9 o’clock, you are actually throwing away signal level so that a subsequent gain stage can make it back up.

Routinely DIYers opt to make themselves a “passive preamp” - just an input selector and a volume control.

What could be better? Hardly any noise or distortion added by these simple passive parts. No feedback, no worrying about what type of capacitors – just musical perfection.

And yet there are guys out there who don’t care for the result. “It sucks the life out of the music”, is a commonly heard refrain (really - I’m being serious here!). Maybe they are reacting psychologically to the need to turn the volume control up compared to an active preamp.”

Cheers George