1. Home
  2. amps-preamps
  3. 186593-9734

DAC DIRECT IN TO AMPLIFIER OR TO PREAMPLIFIER

For the longest time, I believed that the best preamplifier is no preamplifier.  Eliminating a component from the audio chain would yield less distortion & greater purity.

Recently, I have had reason to re-think my logic on the matter - and I am (I think) changing my mind.  Better said, assuming that the preamplifier in the component you are using (in my case, a DAC) can produce 95% or greater quality sound compared to the preamplifier component, then no preamplifier is the best option.  The 5% represents the (estimated) loss of fidelity in adding another set of interconnects.

That said, most DACs do not have an outstanding preamplifier built in.  I think most have average passive attenuators, and the better DACs have active preamplifiers that are very good - but not as good as a quality preamplifier.

What are your thoughts?

 

 

paul_lindemann
mashif
490 posts
 

I recently made a change in my system. I purchased a Schiit Kara preamp. It’s specs are excellent and it’s as transparent as anything I’ve heard. You can switch between passive and active. In passive mode only the relay controlled resister ladder volume control is the only thing in the path. 

With balanced connections my DAC has enough output for the amp. I’ve listened in both passive and active and there’s no obvious difference other than volume control setting. But it’s new and I’m still listening. 

jeffrey125
282 posts
 

I know a lot of folks do not care for this guy or his musings, but he has a point if you are digital only. https://youtu.be/81RQLo0tLHE?si=t9BKS9t34O0bESV2

curiousjim's avatar
curiousjim
6,082 posts
 

As a general rule, adding a preamp I’d better, giving you better sound quality and better control. However, if a streamer or a CD transport are your only input, you might have a setup that doesn’t need a preamp.

ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice
9,515 posts
 

@blisshifi “…T+A SDV 3100 HV (which in all fairness has a true preamp stage built in)…”

 

That is really interesting. Perhaps what that means over time as digital becomes more dominant… DACs will include preamp stages… and really ultra high will continue to require separate preamp functions. 

blisshifi's avatar
blisshifi
1,270 posts
 

@ghdprentice Perhaps… but I am in the camp of associating T+A with ultra high end. The SDV 3100 HV is a $38,750 component. While T+A does offer the standalone reference DAC at $36,500, they integrate the power supplies, analog output and volume control from their $22K reference preamp for an additional $2,250 into the SDV. The SDV unit does have a lesser feature set than the dedicated preamp - less inputs and outputs; no option for built in phono, no room correction or EQ - all so it can fit in one chassis, but also to reduce any culprits that may result from combining analog and digital circuits closely together.

I am a big believer of isolation and agree that typically it is best to have separate circuits in separate chassis’, but in a few manifestations such as the SDV 3100 HV, I think world class results are possible in integrated offerings. 

More to discover