I find myself in the camp that wants the DAC outboard, but the preamp is where the analog and digital meet on the way to amplifier and speakers. If you are considering a DAC an ‘extra,’ then you must be looking for an all analog system, which many people feel is the best way to go. My advice is to consider carefully which features you really need. For instance, I didn’t think I needed a balance control until I bought a power amp without one. I also became very frustrated with the types of controls avaible on some pared down versions of equipment. I’ll not name names, but rotating knobs are very convenient for changing source selections. Another issue is being able to view the way your equipment is set, how much volume? Any balance? Any tone control invoked? Which source is currently selected? You don’t know how much you miss this information, until you can’t see it, or you have to get out a flashlight, get down on your hands and knees and get your eyeballs two inches away from the face plate to determine the state of all the settings just mentioned. Again, I’m not naming names, but I have one in mind. If these things are important to you, in-home trials, careful thought, and lots of trials of inexpensive used gear seem in order. Just my two cents worth. And I agree with the fellow who said he thought adding a DAC adds $1,000.00 to the price of a $6,000.00 preamp. Of course, audio engineers will tell you that how many of these user controls are implemented can have a detrimental affect on sound quality. Choose wisely.
How much $$ do bells and whistles add to preamp?
Hi All, I’m looking for a new preamp, but I don’t want or need things like home theater bypass, streaming, DAC, headphones, etc. Just a great preamp (maybe with phono). I’m looking at lots of models (Like Classe, Wyred4Sound, Peachtree, etc.) that come with lots of extras, and I’m wondering how much of the price devolves to those add-ons that I don’t want. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated, as usual.