In an already existent system that already has high capacitance cables but is otherwise balanced changing from some other DAC to a DS may make quite a difference in the very top of the audio band. With most sources high capacitance implies a high frequency rolloff, but at times the transformer output of the DS can interact with cable capacitance to add a little high frequency boost. With cables that have too high of a capacitance there are FR response issues with almost any source. Obviously if your music collection has tracks that are significantly different in loudness or dynamic range or if the amp isn’t sensitive enough or is way too sensitive you’ll probably want a preamp. With respect to gain, there’s a “best” sensitivity of amp to use with the DS direct: you need enough headroom to have dynamic music (even on your louder tracks) but also enough sensitivity that you aren’t using the volume control far from 100 a lot of the time.
![preamp vs poweramp preamp vs poweramp](https://blog.andertons.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Rift-Amps-Front-Panel-Pream-1.jpg)
"There are two issues that come to mind: gain (which has already been mentioned) and the other is cable capacitance. I feel comfortable with this reply from Ted Smith… The only thing I can think of is matching gain / impedance, but if that is not an issue with my setup, why would I want to add anything in between? Since I will be using the same output from the DSD, I would like to understand how come adding an active component, more cables, RCA connectors, solder points, etc to the signal path can make things ‘better’, in the true “High Fidelity” sense. I started a thread on Audiogon in which one of your dealers mentioned that Paul McGowan said that the new BHK pre-amp will sound better than hooking up the DS direct to amp. The result was such a mind-blowing improvement in all aspects of sound, that I now seriously question how can adding anything in the signal path improve things.
![preamp vs poweramp preamp vs poweramp](http://pureimage.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Yamaha-CX-A5000.png)
The clear winner for my system so far was a passive pre-amplifier, a ~$1K, with upgraded parts including a $400 P&G volume pot.Ī few days ago, I decided to try and bypass everything, and hooked up the DS DAC directly to my amp. In the past, I have experimented with a few pre-amplifiers in my system, including some highly regarded passive, tube and SS ones.