DAC significantly better than a w4s DAC2-DSDse?

http://www.audiostream.com/content/empirical-audio-overdrive-se-usb-dacpre

You will sell your preamp with this DAC. It beats it.

I heard lots of DSD at the Newport Beach show last week. We compared the same track, 44.1 PCM versus DSD. Namely track 1 from Kind of Blue. Sorry, but my PCM beat it.

My comment was specifically about my volume control technology. Beats 99% of preamps out there.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"Re: no pre-amp. Steve N: How do you handle volume control? Do you throw away bits to lower volume or do you attenuate the analog signal? "

Neither. I adjust the D/A reference voltage. This is what is multiplied times the data words to achieve the voltage output. IT scales the volume naturally, without bit decimation or analog noise/distortion. As the volume is decreased, the S/N actually improves and the distortion drops. The opposite of what happens with analog controls and attenuators. This is the optimum way to volume.

See:

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/overdrive-dac

and:

http://www.audiostream.com/content/empirical-audio-overdrive-se-usb-dacpre

"Has anyone done an A/B of your DAC against a good pre at low listening levels?"

Absolutely. I just demoed this effect at Newport show. They were amazed:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=125781.0

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"anything 0.5V below Vcc results in rather compromised DAC chip specifications."

Alex - That depends entirely on the D/A and the supporting circuitry. You are correct that most D/A chips will not do this. I don't have this problem. The A/Bs have been done with several $20K+ preamps.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Alex - Reading your response again, I'm not sure you understand. I am not controlling Vcc. I am controlling Vref.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio