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Will DAC always sound better going straight into a Power Amplifier?

Hi All,

I experimented today with plugging my Khadas Tone Board DAC straight into a Power Amp, and then using a vintage restored Yamaha solid state preamp in the chain...and the sound seemed to be clearer without the preamp.

Is this always the case, where a DAC will sound better directly connected to a power amp?

I see some expensive DAC offerings, like the Musetec 005 and the Holo Audio May, and was wondering that if i want to save up for one of them...if i have to save up for a preamp as well.

If it will cloud the sound, then i'll leave the preamp out of the mix.  Let me know your thoughts all!

I've read that some people have had experiences where the DAC sounds better through a preamp, so I'm not sure if there is a universal answer here or not.

fai_v

Showing 4 responses by antigrunge2

antigrunge2
1,463 posts
 

@majorc 

Analogue, ifi know what they are doing

antigrunge2
1,463 posts
 

A normal modern DAC will output at min. 2v RCA or min.4v balanced. That is equal to a normal preamp output. Forgetting weird impedance mismatches for the moment, the only job left for the preamp is attenuation. If the DAC has a good relay based rather than lossy digital attenuator, there is nothing left for the preamp to do other than add distortion. If you do have an impedance mismatch, get a passive attenuator

antigrunge2
1,463 posts
 

@willgolf

+1, I’d like @atmasphere‘s view on this as there seems no role for a pre if the dac has a decent analogue stage and attenuator other than to add distortion.

antigrunge2
1,463 posts
 

@majorc,

you are right, however: a passive avoids the additional lossiness of a digital attenuator. Running the Dac at max output reduces the impact of the mismatch

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