DACs or Music Servers With Integral Volume Control  

ESI Dr. DAC Prime

This unit has a small switch in the back where you can select fixed or variable stereo audio line-out.  The variable output is, of course, controlled by the volume knob.  For those of us who use multi-amped speakers with each power amp matched specifically to the frequency and impedance range of the driver (aka active design), the variable line-out feature is essential.

Weiss

Benchmark

Eastern Electric

Audiolab

I use the volume control on my Lavry DA-10.  According to the manual, it's a digitally controlled analog control.  I drive my amp with the DA-10, which I find sounds a bit more transparent than going through my pre-amp.  I've also tried using the digital volume control in JRiver Music Center.  I'm aware that there's some controversy about using a digital volume control (throwing away bits, some state), but from what I read that is an unsettled matter.  I can't hear any difference between using the analog volume control on my DA-10 and the digital control in JRiver.

I've been thinking about the same question as posed in your thread.  I'm interested, as well, in remote control of the DAC's volume control.

Rich

Appogee

Focusrite

M-Audio

TC Electronic

Apogee

Anedio

Mytek

Yulong

Fiio

Ressonessence

May I ask why you are compiling this list, especially since you don't take into account the nature of that volume control?

These days, I think that half of the DAC models include a volume control, it would become a very long list very soon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Eddy 

 

Thanks, guys!

 

A related question.

 

Is anyone actually using the volume controls in their DACs? I know some people freak out at the thought of doing volume control in the digital domain (though some DACs do it in the analog domain), however when done right, and you don't have a lot of excess gain in the system, it can be just as transparent as in the analog domain.

 

se

I actually use some attenuation via in my Eq software, which should be essentially the same as a digital volume control in the DAC.

I use the volume in my eastern electric minimax tube dac (original version) to change the tonality and impedance, depending on the op amps and tube I'm using.

I use active monitors as my primary listening speakers.  They are fed directly by the DAC so, yes, I use the DACs volume control.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Eddy 

 

Thanks, guys!

 

A related question.

 

Is anyone actually using the volume controls in their DACs? I know some people freak out at the thought of doing volume control in the digital domain (though some DACs do it in the analog domain), however when done right, and you don't have a lot of excess gain in the system, it can be just as transparent as in the analog domain.

 

se

I use the volume control in my DAC-2 out to a pair of mono blocks for  listening on a pair of Gallo Stradas.   I really like this feature in the DAC-2,  sounds excellent to me.  So much so I decided to scrap my headphone rig entirely and head on back to a speaker rig permanently.   
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Eddy 

Thanks, WA!

 

So that explains the sale of your LCD-2's.

 

se

 

I just couldn't get used to the headphone paradigm.  I guess I'm just a dinosaur.   Give me music sculpted in the open air and sent to my ears from various points in time and space. The entire contraption on my head and music forced into my ears is simply too incongruous an experience for me. 

Guess I'll have to change my Avatar...

Meier Audio Corda StageDAC - has 1 variable output with vol. control + 1 fixed output.

I use the variable output direct into power amp for speakers, fixed output into headphone amp.

Raksy.