Preamp question

B Run · January 2015

So i'm currently running an Emotiva XDA-2 Dac with preamp functions into an Xpa-200 amplifier and am happy with the results so far. My question is is there any advantage or reason to add a dedicated preamp into the mix? On one hand I'm sure a dedicated preamp would do a better job than the built in pre in the dac, but on the other why add an unnecessary component into the mix? It has a remote and adjusts the volume which is all I need, I don't have any analog or phono inputs anyway so I wouldn't really gain any flexibility. I'd appreciate anyones thoughts or opinions.

tonyb · January 2015

Pre amps add their own flavor to the sound, or none at all. Depends on your preferences....quality of your pre amp. If your happy with what you have, why change ?

steveinaz · January 2015

Why do you assume a dedicated preamp would do a better job? If you don't need the functionality of a dedicated pre, why add another box full of electronics to the signal?

polkfarmboy · January 2015

. If you want to "pre" amplify the signal then you need a good preamplifier, plain and simple. If this was the case then why use something like a Mark Levinson preamp if your $500 Dac is going to do a better job?

tonyb · January 2015

Good point PFB. Anytime you add a piece to the chain it either adds something or takes away. In my experiences, dacs in general don't make good pre amps. I'm sure there may be exceptions out there, I just haven't heard them yet.

If your happy though, I'm sure other things are demanding of your attention and wallet.

steveinaz · January 2015

If his DAC has a switchable preamp/line level function, then it will provide preamplification in preamp mode.

tonyb · January 2015

Providing a pre amp function is one thing, how it sounds is another.

steveinaz · January 2015

Absolutely Tony.

B Run · January 2015

Thanks for all the replies. Honestly I'm really happy overall with the sound but just had that voice in the back of my head saying what if. I'm sure eventually i'll upgrade the dac and get a designated preamp when it's necessary. I just honestly was curious and wanted to see what ya'll thought. It's really not a bad little dac for the price though! Thanks again.

B Run · January 2015

I'm planning on it eventually, i've really enjoying my STS's and wanted to try something besides the iNova i'd been running forever. I bought the Emotiva stuff out of curiosity and even told my wife there was a good chance i'd just try it and return it, but I surprisingly liked it more than expected (for the price especially). I've been new car shopping so i'm probably not going to make any huge purchases anytime soon, but eventually will get the itch again haha.

B Run · January 2015

I felt like the Peachtree was a great Dac with an ok amp section. With that said it paired perfectly with my Zu speakers and was all they ever needed, and it even drove my Martin Logans respectably well for what it was. It had a nice warm sound but lacked the last bit of detail and air. I bought it refurbished for $799 and sold it two years later for $750, hard to beat that. I feel like I went in the complete opposite direction with Emotiva, now there is plenty of detail and air but not warm, with an ok Dac and great amp section haha.

tratliff · January 2015

I'll bring the Parasound P3 over to the get together on the 31st and you can try it out DSkip. I changed it out and replaced it with the Parasound P5 a few weeks ago. Im still evaluating the P5 but really like it so far. Have only been using the pre side of it so far feeding my Oppo to it. Looking to try out the DAC soon.

steveinaz · January 2015

Typically, really good external DAC's will feature really good analog output sections---making them ideal as a preamp, if they have that mode of operation. I think we're going to see alot more DAC/PRE's as digital sources dominate. I run a passive linestage after my DAC, but only because of its superior volume control topology.

B Run · January 2015

That makes sense, thanks! The only annoying thing about the volume control in my Dac is it steps down by 1/4 decibel at a time so it just takes a while to adjust the volume. Other than that it works just fine.

tonyb · January 2015

steveinaz wrote: »

Typically, really good external DAC's will feature really good analog output sections---making them ideal as a preamp, if they have that mode of operation. I think we're going to see alot more DAC/PRE's as digital sources dominate. I run a passive linestage after my DAC, but only because of its superior volume control topology.

I might agree there Steve, but really good dacs come at a price point that a good separate pre and decent dac can compete with also. I still believe a good pre adds a level of soundstage width and height, depth, tone...that a dac/pre just doesn't do as well.

Let me also add another difference. There are dacs whose sole purpose is doing the obvious conversions with added pre amp functionality. Then there are pre amps whose sole purpose is the pre amp function first, with added dac capabilities. There's a difference in sound between the two.

audiocr381ve · January 2015

There are a lot of people running the Oppo 105 with out a preamp in the mix. For me, and I've tried this with several amps, it ALWAYS sounded better with a dedicated preamp. To my ears what it added was just pure dynamics, and because of that, the sound was more "round."

This was the case with both my DIY Pass DCB1 buffer and Rogue Perseus pres.

Preamp question

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