DAC's Streamer and Preamps

@brbrock 

Unless you have a high end sound card in your computer, anything is an improvement. @elliottbnewcombjr gave you a good suggestion.  Another one is getting an Audioquest Dragonfly DAC.  There’s three different ones available with the Cobalt being the most expensive at $200. From here, the sky’s the limit.

All the best.

@jallan cool. I personally don’t know what component I am hearing when I am listening at a show. Between some gimps walking from speaker to speaker inspecting every dust particle on cables and turntable plinths while taking videos of components and bending down to inspect more dust particles on the second component rack shelf presenting their tukhes as part of the soundstage, and the constant chatter as well as unfamiliar room acoustics and who the f knows what cables are connecting all this equipment…man I have no idea what any of that $hit sounds like. Good for you that you can make a definitive decision on sound characteristics of individual components in that type of environment. 

Separates.  Always.

In general, that is a very true statement.  Fortunately, there are some exceptions.  Some DACs have pretty decent digital volume controls and sound pretty good running straight into an amplifier (like the Mola Mola Tambaqui for example).  However, a great sounding preamp with a true analog volume control can be better.  Fortunately, you can have your cake and eat it too.  The Mola Mola Makua preamp has the option of a Tambaqui DAC built into it.  That way you have great DAC performance with a true analog volume control.  

brbrock

For me it is always separates.

First as technology improves in a streamer or DAC, I can improve that component without replacing a complete all-in-one bundle

Second, my favorite components are not from the same companies. I prefer tube preamps and my preamp is an Aric Audio Motherlode XL, my new DAC will be from a different producer, and my favorite streamer will be from a third different producer.....and large part of that decision is the software of the streamer

That is not to to say an Aurender/Lumin/Grimm/Weiss/Bricasti/etc can't be amazing; I'm sure they can be

“Some DACs have pretty decent digital volume controls and sound pretty good running straight into an amplifier (like the Mola Mola Tambaqui for example).  However, a great sounding preamp with a true analog volume control can be better.”

@ddgtt - The three issues are:

• whether the DAC’s VC strips bits or has other bad behaviors with more, or less, attenuation
• the quality of the DAC’s VC, and
• the absence of an active stage (i.e., in the absence of an active, even unity gain, stage passives often sound thin, with less tonal color and drive)

A buffer out of the DAC can cure the third issue and allow the use of the DAC’s VC without a drop in sonics.  I can only think of two, in addition of my own unique unit from SMc Audio - the Hattor Tube Buffer (which I have heard and sounds pretty good), and the Modwright (which I haven’t heard).