DAC DIRECT IN TO AMPLIFIER OR TO PREAMPLIFIER

Paul,

There is a large contingenet of people out there who think adding a preamp adds to the quality of the signal headed to the speakers.  these are mostly the people selling preamps.  Add to that those who have bought a pre-amp and want to defend their position. 

Certainly adding a pre-amp will likely change the sound.  Different doesn't mean better. 

I"m a purist, similar to what you've described.  the best the music can get is what is recorded on the source medium.  as you process and amplify it, you can't add anything, only subtract from the perfection that exists at the beginning.  The less you touch the signal, the better off you are.  

So I think you are exactly right to use your DAC to feed your amp.  I do that with my Chord DAVE.

Thanks for this thread, it did create the funniest statement I've seen on audiogon for a while.  "DACs reduce vollume by dropping bits."   Great plan:  this guy is listening at low levels so he doesn't need all the music.  we will just throw some of it away.  Great example of how people don't understand digital.

Jerry

@blackbag20 My summary of this thread would be that there are 2 camps, one likes adding a preamp, and one doesn't.  Nobody knows which one is right, and probably it depends on the system, there is probably no single right answer.

but what I think you found valuable is the explanations of why people had their opinions helps you to form your opinion.  

It is great to hear that a thread like this, that draws no clear conclusion, still is useful to the reader.

Jerry

@ghdprentice Indeed, well said.  It would be hard to put together a system just by reading on the internet and that is what some people do.  Others try to do a lot of auditioning either in showrooms or using liberal return policies.  I do it another way:  I am good at buying and selling used equipment.  The key is never to buy junk.  So I buy a lot of equipment and resell the equipment that doesn't suit me. 

Jerry