Low gain dac!

Sometimes we all make things more complicated than they need to be. Some of us forget this.
https://youtu.be/EVkYaZXCl8U

There are a lot of threads on DAC choice. Do you need balanced output? Any particular input you are most fond of? Do you require MQA, DSD, or some other acronym TBD? What is your budget cap? (because whatever it is, clearly the best DACs cost just a little bit more) And of course, what color should it be?

russ69 - I always heard that an attenuator would degrade the sound, but maybe that is just a tale !

As to millercarbon - I know that where a volume knob is sitting isn’t really important, therefore writing from 6 o’clock to 8-9 o’clock would give you and others a picture of the small adjustments that is useable, in reality it is more between 6 and 7.5 !
As it is more you with a problem, please stay out of this tread, life is too short to answer grumpy people. Please find peace in some other thread, have a nice day.

Why not a DAC with a volume?  My Chord Hugo has a great volume control and sounds awesome.

"...russ69 - I always heard that an attenuator would degrade the sound, but maybe that is just a tale !..."

I have used inexpensive 10 db pads to knock down the hiss on a high gain pre and amp setup with high efficiency loudspeakers.. I could not hear any change in the frequency response. If I had to guess I'd bet they are flat within .1db in the audio band. 

Thanks russ69 that’s good to know.
elevick - I have a fantastic tube pre amp, just would like to have bigger volume range.
cat_doorman - would prefer rca output (single ended), price? $2000-$3000c color? Not so important, but preferably black, input? Usb, and toslink for tv. MQA I am NOT a fan of.
Will check your link 🙂