DACs that do well without a preamp

@laaudionut  " like everything in our esoteric hobby, "your own results may vary.""

Agree fully, I run a tube pre and tube amp so may have just been predisposed to a certain sound that completely changed when the preamp was removed.  So maybe not bad just different enough for me that I didn't like it.

The HD30 doesn't seem to get much attention but I've demoed several other dacs in attempt to better it and dollar for dollar I haven't found a better unit.

Frequently it’s just that the passive preamp sections usually included in the DACs don’t have sufficient output to fully drive the amp it’s hooked up to. As always, it comes down to proper system matching.

@soix Thanks for your reply -- I think that's as good an explanation as I'm likely to find.  The voltage level of the DAC output may be in the right range, but it can't generate enough current to properly drive the amp.  I do own a preamp (Parasound 2100), but I thought it was a weak link, so I'd be better off without it.  Sounds like I may want to keep it around for a while.

Try a Teac NT-505x. Safe & Sound sells it with a return policy. I have the older version with an AKM DAC chip and the volume control works great with the few amps(tube and solid state) I’ve tried. The new version uses a Sabre chip and is more to the sound you’re looking for. Mine is a little less detailed. 

Sonnet Morpheus at around $2K used or Metrum Jade at even less should both sound pretty good.

VC is implemented by changing the reference voltage so no bits lost.

I have excellent results using a Weiss 202 DAC with volume control direct to my tube amp.