2. amps-preamps
  3. 174980-170745

The Best Preamp is no Preamp?

So recently I've discovered the possibility of completely removing my preamp from my rig. I've never heard or considered this before, so much audio tradition... But in going directly from DAC to amplifier the sound quality is absolutely incredible, instantly had me grinning. Using music server to Chord M Scaler to Chord Qutest (cut out Marantz SR5015) to go directly to dual Emotiva XPA-DR1 monoblocks, to GR Research's 24 strand speaker wire to Magnepan 1.7i's.  Only difference is running volume on server vs Marantz remote, sound quality is the biggest jump I've ever heard with any gear.

Have you guys had experience cutting out the preamp from your rig? What's your thoughts?

brandonhifi

Showing 3 responses by antigrunge2

antigrunge2
1,463 posts
 

Technically speaking output from Dacs doesn‘t need further amplification: unless you have a weird input impedance for your power amp all that‘s required is a good attenuator. If your dac possesses a stepped relay attenuator rather than a digital bit-lossy attenuator the addition of a pre will only add distortion and the pre‘s specific voicing.

antigrunge2
1,463 posts
 

@ozzy62,

fully agreed: twenty years ago I replaced a Graaf 13.5B with a simple Modsquad passive feeding a Graff GM20. The phono stage was a Zyx Artisan and digital was a then state of the art dac. Ever since I have gone either passive or direct from the DAC.If the source has sufficient voltage at adequate impedance additional pre circuitry is simply detrimental.

antigrunge2
1,463 posts
 

Could it be that this discussion arises from a definitorial problem?

The analogue stage of a DAC generally outputs a signal akin to that of a pre, so all that‘s needed is attenuation and in some cases an analogue input to handle the phono signal. Therefore going passive or direct from a dac seems to obviate the issues one might have when attenuating a signal from a phono amplifier with a passive.

So it comes down to the quality of the attenator in the dac. Admittedly there are steep differences between say a stepped array and crude digital attenuators.

I run an Antelope Zodiac Platinum which via its balanced outputs can even address Ralph‘s bi-amping point and provides single ended and balanced analogue inputs.

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