Pre or no pre?

NotaSuv
NotaSuv Posts: 3,852
edited April 2009 in 2 Channel Audio
Any benefit in going from a cd player to a dac to amp or going from cd to dac to pre......or better just to upgrade the source and go right to pre to amp...looking for a dedicated system 2 channel using a cd player..nothing set in concrete at this time...have read pros and cons on both setups just looking for alittle more advice from those that know ALOT more than clueless me..thanks

yes I realize that not every dac is capable of that.....and yes I realize those dacs cost a bit more....
Post edited by NotaSuv on
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,171
    edited April 2009
    I don't know. Depends on your listening habits. Going w/o a pre amp or strictly passive has advantages, but one disadvantage I've found running in passive (straight from input to output) is you are totally at the mercy of the recording a bit more than if you had a pre-amp in the mix. Even the best active preamps add a bit of flavor here and there.

    I have certain recordings I run in passive and others need the little bit of "sparkle" and dimensionality the active setting provides. Granted they are very similar but a slight difference can be heard.

    I say try it using both and see which you prefer. Going w/o a pre or strictly passive is a love/hate thing. I like having the flexibility of both.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • megasat16
    megasat16 Posts: 3,521
    edited April 2009
    I assume you are feeding the digital out from CD to DAC. If your DAC has analog volume adjustment and you can hook up to an amp, I think it's probably easier and sounds natural than adding another pre in the mix. I think less components means simplicity and less color added to the sound (also less I/C). If you want to have tubey sound, you can add a Tube pre line stage in the setup later. But I would try without Pre first if your DAC has a good volume control.
    Trying out Different Audio Cables is a Religious Affair. You don't discuss it with anyone. :redface::biggrin:
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited April 2009
    Passive is more transparent, but can sound thin with some setups. It depends on the gear, speakers, room, and listener preference.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • NotaSuv
    NotaSuv Posts: 3,852
    edited April 2009
    Speakers would be a pair of like new Mirage M-1's with new crossovers, amp is a Proceed hpa2, still up in the air as far as a transport and dac, or a better player and a pre....going to listen to a few different setups this weekend..thanks for the input
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  • fbm211
    fbm211 Posts: 1,488
    edited April 2009
    How about a benchmark DAC-1 http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlconv&1244236244&/Benchmark-DAC-1
    SDA-2BTL with custom IC
    Adcom 565 monoblocks--Monarchy Audio M-10 preamp
    Theta Data Basic Transport--Stello DA100 Signature DAC--Camelot Dragon Pro2 MK III
    Harman Kardon T-55c TT
    DH Labs Q-10 Signature Speaker Cables With Furez silver plated copper bananas
    Revelation Audio Labs Prophecy Cryo-Silver Reference AES/EBU
    Revelation Audio Labs Prophecy Cryo-Silver i2s digital cable
    4 Furutech FP-314Ag with FI-11cu Plugs/FI-11AG IECs--- Power Cords
    DH LABS REVELATIONS ICs-amps
    Revelation Audio Labs Paradise cryo-silver ICs-Source to pre
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited April 2009
    fbm211 wrote: »
    How about a benchmark DAC-1 http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlconv&1244236244&/Benchmark-DAC-1


    I have the Benchmark Dac1 Pre, and when I first purchased it I connected it directly to the amp (Cambridge-Audio 840W). Worked great.

    However, I knew I was going to be purchasing an SACD player with XLR output, and the Dac1 only had 1 set of RCA analog inputs. A secondary problem was the Dac1 had no remote control (to be remedied on 4/20), and it is bright as a super nova when the lights are low, or off.

    So, I purchased a Cambridge-Audio 840E pre-amp, which has 2 sets of XLR inputs, remote control, and the ability to dim, or turn off, the lights.

    I tried and tried, but I could not hear any differance between having the Dac1 going directly into the amp, versus going into the pre-amp, and then onto the amp. So, I am happy with the setup, plus the 840E/840W look better together than the Dac1 and 840W. Of course, that is my opinion.

    Here is a pretty good review of the 840E/840W combinaiton.
    http://www.avguide.com/review/tested-cambridge-azur-840e-preamplifier-and-840w-power-amplifier
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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