Preamps built Into DACs

Hi Edorr,
You`re very satisfied with your current setup, you may not need a preamp for your needs.
I `ve own my Coincident linestage and their 300b SET amplifier for over 3 years. I plan to keep both for many years to come.The funny thing is my genuine admiration for both 'continues' to increase. I`m fortunate(lucky?) as they`ve led me to pure emotional involvement and musical bliss.
Best Regards,

"Steve, DCS latest gear has an all digital VC. Why would they have moved to all digital if they had a better mousetrap before?"

I believe it was probably abandoned because it is very difficult to implement. It puts another layer of complexity and linearity concerns on top of the architecture.

It has some limitations, such as no ability to go to zero volume. It can go really low, but not zero typically. I dont see this as an issue.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"However, my ears are telling me otherwise now, and the fact that a number of >$20 DACs use them suggest they can't be all that bad."

Well even the best S/W DSP volume controls seem to cause audible artifacts at more than about -9dB of volume reduction. No amount of dithering and resampling will help IMO.

The besst overall solution is to use a good volume system to reduce the volume to listening levels and then adjust finely for each track using -0 to -9dB of digital volume. Works like a champ.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

.... I believe it was probably abandoned because it is very difficult to implement. It puts another layer of complexity and linearity concerns on top of the architecture....

The worlds #1 manufacturer of cost no object DACs just released a >$100K DAC, but they abandoned the optimal implementation of the VC they used in earlier models and reverted an approach that compromises sound quality because doing it right is "very difficult to implement". Not a very plausible explaination

.....Well even the best S/W DSP volume controls seem to cause audible artifacts at more than about -9dB of volume reduction. No amount of dithering and resampling will help IMO....

There is absoltely no consensus on this, nor confirmation in listening tests. Lots of digital guru's will tell you -25db is fine. My personal experience confirms this.

....The besst overall solution is to use a good volume system to reduce the volume to listening levels and then adjust finely for each track using -0 to -9dB of digital volume. Works like a champ....

In principle this seems like a very good approach. I personally would think a 0db, -10db, -20db -30db -40db analog domain attenuation switch and an additional 25db to work with in digital domain during operations would work just as well, but we're splitting hairs.