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How to set up volume control on a DAC without a preamp

I am creating my system and trying to decide on a DAC.  I don't have a preamp at this time and the preamps I am looking at are quite expensive.  Several DAC's that i'm looking at doesn't have volume control either. Is it possible to set up volume control in ROON or HQ Player until I can get the money together for the preamp?

brbrock

Showing 1 response by yyzsantabarbara

yyzsantabarbara
5,051 posts
 

I also have the Benchmark LA4. I find a volume control on a DAC not a feature but a bug. The LA4 is for people who do not want the pre to color the sound.

Using a preamp like the LA4 (or the almost the same Holo Serene) will take your DAC to sonic levels that a built-in volume control never did for me. I use my 2 preamps on costlier amps.

The Topping pre90 premp is much cheaper and measures like the LA4 (and Serene) but it had many negative issues for me.

I would also be concerned driving an amp directly from a DAC. 

This was a big issue for me when I used the Musetec 005's DACs volume control. Those little buttons also make it hard to quickly lower the volume.

 

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