What volume level should a DAC be set to when feeding your Pre Amp
I have an Accuphase DAC (DC-901) with a digital volume control that feeds my Pre Amp/Accuphase integrated Amp.
Dacs volume up close to full, or you can run the risk of "bit stripping" if too low (below 75%), an can cause resolution reduction 14bit 12bit and so on the lower you go.
If then with the dacs volume up close to full, if you are below 10am on your preamp volume because it’s too loud, then think about a passive preamp or active preamp little or unity gain.
Quote from Nelson Pass
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