Int. Amp's input sensitivity and DAC's output


Hi,

I'm a little confused (concerned) about the match between my Cambridge Audio DACMagic and my integrated amp. The DACMagic's output is rated at 2.1V rms (unbalanced). My integrated's line input's sensitivity is rated >= 200mV and overload signal level rated >=2V. Now I'm concerned that the DAC is actually driving the pre-amp section of the integrated to overloading levels.

Is this a correct analogy or am I mistaken?

Comments appreciated.
livin_262002

Showing 1 response by atmasphere

DAC manufacturers seem to all have a kind of arrogance that says you will never use anything but their DAC driving your power amps.

There is no idea that you might be using an integrated, or possibly a phono section as well.

On top of that there is usually a misunderstanding of how much voltage is needed to drive an amplifier to full output and what the consequences are, so they damn the torpedos and usually have way too much output. In this case, the DAC in question only has too much output rather than way too much :)

It should be the case though that the volume control will keep things in check, although I think you will find that you are always at the bottom of the control. The spec on your amp is written, BTW, so that if the control is all the way up, 200mV will be how much voltage will be needed at the input to drive the integrated to full output.