DACs With Killer Built-In Preamps


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I see a lot of DACs with volume controls with the ability to act as a preamp. The Audio Research Reference Dac/Digital Media Bridge ($15k) has a volume control and a lot of innards of its Reference 5SE preamp...which makes for a very serious preamp section on that DAC.

Are there any DACs with voulume controls under $7k that can compete with top-tier preamps?
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mitch4t

Showing 1 response by dracule1

IME, having a stepped attenuator installed into the input stage of my amplifier gave me the best sound I heard in my system. I've tried both active and passive preamps, both colored the sound more. I've actually had increased dynamics, soundstaging, and frequency extension this way. No thinning of sound often encountered with passive preamps and no veiling of sound often heard with active preamps. Sorry for off topic remark.

Getting back to OP question, a friend of mine got the Lampizator DAC which uses computer controlled resistor based volume control. Sounds quality of the DAC is excellent.