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Top notch integrated vs DAC direct into stereo amp

I'm still asking myself if a top notch integrated amp like the Audionet Humbold + separate DAC would do just as good as a DAC direct into a stereo amp for example Totaldac d1-Direct going into Gryphon Antileon Evo or D'Agostino Momentum S250.I know this has been discussed many times especially preamp vs no preamp but what about top level integrated vs DAC direct  into amp.An ultimate integrated amp would cost about the same as a great stereo amp therefore the question can be raised.Cheers.
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Showing 2 responses by georgehifi

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Well Gryphon and Audionet are two pretty different presentations.Ghyphon is very organic, meaty, physical bass, beautiful deph and yet detailed and fast.Audionet is very high detail retrieval, very low noise floor, huge soundtage, ultra fast and very natural.Both are awsome, not an easy decision.
Those explanations are far removed from the prefect preamp. Save your money.
Now try direct in this a/b/c and hear which is the most transparent/dynamic and uncolored.

The Totaldac is what my reviewer/editor friend has, with the Wilson Alexia MkII and the Gryphon Antillion Evo, of all the ways we tried direct was the best by far, followed by a passive pre, even against his top of the line Supratek preamp.
https://www.soundstageaustralia.com/index.php/reviews/84-wilson-audio-specialties-alexia-series-2-loudspeakers

Cheers George
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 



My take is the simplest path is best.

Correct, as most dac’s today (not tube output ones) have output stages the equal and maybe even better than many active preamps are. So if you have a dac that has a volume control use it direct into your poweramp, if no volume control then use a passive preamp.

Nelson Pass,

“We’ve got lots of gain in our electronics. More gain than some of us need or want. At least 10 db more.

Think of it this way: If you are running your volume control down around 9 o’clock, you are actually throwing away signal level so that a subsequent gain stage can make it back up.

Routinely DIYers opt to make themselves a “passive preamp” - just an input selector and a volume control.

What could be better? Hardly any noise or distortion added by these simple passive parts. No feedback, no worrying about what type of capacitors – just musical perfection.

And yet there are guys out there who don’t care for the result. “It sucks the life out of the music”, is a commonly heard refrain (really - I’m being serious here!). Maybe they are reacting psychologically to the need to turn the volume control up compared to an active preamp.”


Cheers George
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