2. amps-preamps
  3. 187283-87683

DAC as pre amp

This post is just a brief for posterity sake in regards to the the significance of a good pre.  As I have stated in other threads over the last few years , when the subject arise,  I occasionally remove my pre from the chain and run my Wadia 321 as the pre.  I always find my way back to my dedicated pre.  I got some Quad Z-4s awhile back and after a recent post regarding the DAC direct question I decided to try again.  This round the improvement was even more dramatic with the dedicated pre and the Quads. My modest system is good enough for my level of listening sophistication.  but If I ever decided to upgrade a component in the future , the pre would be the unit I would explore.   Another member stated that a good pre will ad a "richness" to the sound.  I think that is exactly what I hear.  

jbuhl

Showing 2 responses by knotscott

knotscott's avatar
knotscott
1,091 posts
 

@carlsbad2

So you enjoy the coloration provided by the Pre.

It’s more likely that they enjoy the improved performance due to better impedance matching, a better output stage, and better ability to drive an amplifier. I’ll think you’ll be standing alone in this line.

knotscott's avatar
knotscott
1,091 posts
 

Theoretically, every component in a system causes coloration. I suppose we all have a preference about how we'd like it to sound.

There are always good and poor examples of every design approach, so exceptions occur.  What I'm saying is that it seems that more preamps currently do a satisfactory job of overcoming whatever obstacles are posed by the signal and the amplifier load than DACs at this point in time.   That could certainly change in the future.

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