Any comments on DAC directly to Power amp with no

08-19-15: Zd542
Fully balanced components usually list 2 sets of specs.
Zd542

That can also be misleading, as if they used an opamp for the balanced input or output of source or poweramp it's very possible that it's not a unity gain stable opamp, so they had to give it some gain to make it stable, which would give different specs as you say.

I've seen it all too many times. A typical example of this is my cd player which has both single ended and balanced outputs, the extra opamp they used for the balanced had gain compared to the single ended output, which bypasses the balanced opamp, therefore one less opamp in the signal path from the single ended output.

Same went for a very well known famous high end poweramp $$$$K which I was repairing, the input went though an opamp first for the balanced which had gain because it also was not unity gain stable, and the single ended input was after the opamp. I laugh to myself when owners say the balanced sound better than the single ended on this amp, I don't have the heart to tell them because they were told by someone to use it that way for better sound.

So the safe bet for the best sound is always use the single ended inputs, unless you run 10mts of interconnect then balance connection will only have an advantage in noise/hum not sound quality.

Cheers George

08-18-15: Hgeifman
I am not going to run my DAC direct into my integrated amplifier. I have been told that most DAC’s do not supply as much drive as a properly designed preamplifier.

Don't want to stir up a debate, but whoever told you this about your Ayre QB-9 DSD DAC is way way off the mark!!
As I have said it will deliver from it's 2v SE or 4v XLR at a very low 71ohm source impedance, this is better drive than most preamps can deliver, especially tube ones.

And a volume control done in the digital domain of a dac is superior if it's used at 75% or higher of it's range, that why I suggested you use the 2v se output, as most amp will clip (reach full output) at 2v input.

Cheers George

The "perfect" preamp if there ever has been one, has always been said to sound like a piece of wire with gain, not adding or taking anything away from the sound of the source

And this is what a direct source to amp connection will sound like if done right, adding nothing or taking nothing away from the sound of the source.

If you need to colour the sound to your liking then by all means add a preamp that will do this, but good luck on finding the right colouration, as they all sound different, and it will get very expensive looking for it.

The right way is to change the source, speakers or room treatments to achieve this, to get the sound of your liking, not by adding more colourations.

Cheers George

Hgeifman hi,
Your Ayre QB-9 DSD DAC (if it has volume/level control) from it's single ended outputs at 71ohms and 2v will be a perfect impedance match going direct into the single ended 42kohm "main in" on your of your Luxman L-590ax.
This will give you the most transparent sound possible compared to anything else.
If you use the XLR outputs then you have 4v from the Ayre and this may be too much gain.

Cheers George

08-23-15: Cerrot
You lose res with every reduction in volume in (most) digital volume controls.Cerrot

Only if the Berkeley is below 75% of full output, it's called "Bit Stripping"

Your Berkeley Dac from the specs I saw gives out a massive 6v XLR or 3v SE. And your Sanders Magntec Amp only needs 2v for full output.

If you have to your Berkeley volume below 75% you get the volume down to where you want, this proves you have more than enough system gain without the need of extra gain that active preamp give.

And your Berkeley dac output stage would even have better drive than most preamps have.

So to get a valid idea you somehow need to reduce your system gain so the volume of the Berkely is used at 75% or over.

From what I saw on the Berkeley site you maybe able to change the analogue's amps gain setting from 3v to 2v somewhere (maybe inside)
"Unbalanced analogue output level setting: 3.25Vrms maximum, 2Vrms or lower recommended"

This then should allow you to use it's digital domain volume control at or above 75% of full output which maybe change your opinions about loosing resolution and "warmth".

Cheers George

08-20-15: Zd542
So, basically what you're saying, is that a manufacturer may raise the gain on a single ended components xlr outputs to make it appear balanced if someone were to look at the spec sheet? My ex-girlfriend from Russia wasn't even that unethical.
Zd542

No, no conspiracy, they may have to give them gain of the XLR input or output opamp/s, because many of them (the opamps) are not unity gain stable, this then will give more output voltage from a source or higher input sensitivity on a poweramp.
This then is different to what the single ended outputs or inputs specs are on sources or poweramps, compared to the XLR connections.
And yes many sources and poweramps are single ended before and after that pseudo XLR opamp.

Cheers George

No preamp Charles1dad, just the normal Redbook 2v buffered output, at a nice low 40ohms output impedance. Even better again 29ohms as tested by Sterophile

Cheers George

Hgeifman,even better with the Bricasti M1 DAC as it is even lower in output impedance than your Ayre at 40ohms output impedance!!.
It's all about "Ohm's and Kirchoffs laws"
Both are a perfect match with your Lux and will have better drive than most active preamps.

Cheers George

As far as XLR (balanced) or SE (single ended) goes.
Unless you plan to run 10's of meters of interconnect from the dac to the amp, single ended connection should sound better, as usually there are less electronics in the signal path.
Unfortunately many amps these days just have an added balanced opamp at the front end for XLR connection after which they go back to single ended, going single ended bypasses this opamp.
And the final connection to the speakers in almost most amps is single ended, just + signal, and - which is at ground potential.

Cheers George