How to control volume for DAC with no volume control

linestage (passive or active)

integrated amp

streamer control software, if volume control equipped

roon dsp (has built in volume control)

I just recently got into streaming.  Still, my cd player connected to the BS node sounds best to me.

Not sure what I am going to stream.   Would like to have MQA as an option.   I know it isn't with a lot of DACs.

Never noticed a loss of detail with digital volume control. Used Audiophilleo 1 (an excellent USB-SPDIF converter first and foremost) straight to First Watt SIT-2/3 for years and it sounded great. It has an IR receiver cable for remote control. Briefly added a Placette RVC, a highly regarded passive pre that worked well for me in the past, but found virtually no difference so I sold it. Used the digital volume control on the Weiss INT-202 sometime before that with great results as well. Currently have a dCS bartok and use its digital volume for fine tuned control since my preamp volume is sensitive. Never used strictly music player software volume control though.

However, adding a quality active preamp was always better.  The cost of an additional power cord and pair of interconnects is a not attractive.

I am presently running my dac direct using the software volume control of foobar and it sounds better than when I played with foobar full throttle and ran to a passive...actually much better