My experience with using a DAC to drive an amp is this
had a pair of vandy 2 with a Rogue cronus mag up graded my speakers to Quatros so I had to have a high pass filters put in to my integrated amp so while the guys at Rogue did their thing I borrowed an Aesthetix Atlas and drove it with my Ayer Codex both very respectable components used them with the Quatros sounded excellent then I got my Rogue back hook it up and the sound was astounding the different between the two was absolutely astounding you would had thought I just hook up the Aesthetix it was that different so you are kidding your self thinking that driving an amp with a DAC is the best sound from your amp the Aestheix is a much much better amp but all amps need to be drive with a preamp
my next up grade will be an amp and preamp
Good Listening
had a pair of vandy 2 with a Rogue cronus mag up graded my speakers to Quatros so I had to have a high pass filters put in to my integrated amp so while the guys at Rogue did their thing I borrowed an Aesthetix Atlas and drove it with my Ayer Codex both very respectable components used them with the Quatros sounded excellent then I got my Rogue back hook it up and the sound was astounding the different between the two was absolutely astounding you would had thought I just hook up the Aesthetix it was that different so you are kidding your self thinking that driving an amp with a DAC is the best sound from your amp the Aestheix is a much much better amp but all amps need to be drive with a preamp
my next up grade will be an amp and preamp
Good Listening