DAC/Pre's Digital attenuation vs. analog

i have the ps audio separates (pwt and pwd).

the pwd has a digital volume control.

i prefer the sound using the digital vol control at 61 percent of max and using more gain on the preamp.

i think the digital volume control is inferior to the analog vol control on my passive and tibe preamps.

hi steve:

the problem is the digital volume control. when you set it to max, the analog vol control on the preamp is providing less gain.

my experience, as stated, is that is preferable to minimize the contribution of "digital" gain in favor of analog gain.

a better test would be a comparison between the original zanden dac steve's latest dac.

i consider the first zanden dac as my favorite dac.

hi steve:

the zanden which was used in the comparison with the spoiler, was the latest zanden dac, not the original. having heard both, i can say that i don't like the latest zanden dac. it doesn't sound like it has a tube in it when mated with the zanden transport.

so, there are two variables here, the version of the sanden dac and the transport. perhaps there is a better transport for the zanden dac.

it is virtually impossible to compare dacs, because of the interaction with the transport. i wasn't sure if the spoiler was mated with the zanden transport.

one is really comparing a dac/transport combination with another. there are 4 variables.

one cannot conclude the superiority of one dac or another, definitively, unless one can mate it with every transport--impossible.

one can, inductively have confidence if one samples many transports, using two dacs. also, is there not the issue of the digital interface , another variable ??

i think it is pointless to compare dacs, unless one can construct a valid experimental design.

by the way, there are problems comparing components, in general, because of interactions with other components. there are many variables and it is almost impossible to isolate the contribution of each one.

all you can do is specify the variables and let your ears decide which you prefer.

certainly there are mismatches between amps and preamps, and i would conjecture that there are mismatches between dacs and transports.

the fact that a company fabricates a dac and transport does not ensure the combination is optimal