2. amps-preamps
  3. 138620-76358

Is pre-amp getting killed?

Hi,
   I'm in the market for the Pre-amp and DAC. I had the PS audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC/Pre-amp combo and I sold that to go separates. I thought of buying PS audio Direct Stream DAC and Audio Research REF 6 Pre-amp. I started doing research and spoke to few dealers. Below are the recommendations I got,

1. Bel Canto EX DAC
2. Simaudio 390 Network Player/DAC

3 dealers I spoke recommended to go with Pre-AMP/DAC/Network player combo instead of separate Pre-amp and DAC. Is pre-amp's are getting killed by the combo? 

Any thoughts?

karurravi

Showing 2 responses by hk_fan

hk_fan
526 posts
 
I've yet to hear a combo DAC/Pre that compares to a quality separate DAC/Pre and I've heard a lot of the highly rated ones.
hk_fan
526 posts
 
@karurravi I don't have a lot of experience with Dynaudio but I have been to the Cary Audio facility since it's local and they used large Dynaudio towers to demo which was outstanding.  They were using the SLP-05 preamp, which I have owned and was absolutely smitten with.  They also used some Cary CAD-805 mono's driving them so obviously it was a great sounding system so there must be some synergy there for them to demo them together.

Personally I use an Ayre QB-9 DAC with a Mark Levinson 326S preamp but my speakers are Aerials and my amps are Parasound JC1's.  I've never heard this combo with Dynaudio, however I can highly recommend both.

I used the Cary SLP-05 with a pair of Class-D amps like your Bel Canto's with great results.  I was using some NuForce reference mono's.  If the SLP-05 had more remote functions I would still probably own it.  It's a VERY special preamp IMO.  Good luck with the search!!!!
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