Anyone Using the Benchmark Dac1 HDR as a preamp?

I used a DAC1 HDR, as well as a DAC1 PRE, as a preamp. In both cases the Benchmark drove Bel Canto amps (S300 and REF150), in balanced mode. The Benchmarks worked great directly into the Bel Canto amps. The Benchmark DAC is honest and clean. It adds no romantic warmth, but neither do I think it is harsh or bright, as some folks claim. I think it pretty much passes on whatever you feed into it, without adding much in the way of editorial comment. It also does a great job of driving my Sennheiser HD650 headphones. My only (very minor) complaint about the HDR is that the front panel LED flickers for an annoyingly long time to indicate loss of digital signal input (whenever my transport stopped). Not a big deal, but I don't understand why Benchmark designed that feature into an otherwise eminently sensible piece of gear.

I used it to feed a Pass X250 via balanced outputs driving B&W N802. It is clean, I used internal jumper -30dB setting so that at 12 o'clock volume, it is about right listening level most of the time. I used passive volume control for about 20 years to get clean sound but can say with confidence that the HDR gives up nothing on clarity and restores all the dynamics that were lacking in my previous passive setup, much to my surprise.