0,2-0,6-2 or 6V output

[Buizesmurf (Rudi Vanhamme)]

The Bartok and other dac,s from dCS have 4 levels off output.q
I read many discussions about what the best.Depending you gear…What i want to know what happend inside de dCS dac,s?
What is the original output?Is there a kind off amplification or a kind off altinator- volume control inside for the other outputs?
Thx for reading…

[Lee (Lee Scoggins)]

I believe there was some discussion that the higher output values sounded better but I have not tried it yet myself.

[Urbanluthier]

Short answer is if you use your dCS dac as a dac / pre, choose which ever output matches best with your amp and allows you to run the dac at the top range of the volume. -20 to 0dB. Much longer answer is here

Bartok as a preamplifier

On preamps, and digital volume control… Considering for a moment the role of a pre-amp in a digital audio playback system: To select different sources. To level match source and power amplifier. To set the listening volume. When comparing a DAC connected to a power amp directly vs with a preamp in line, there are potential benefits to the addition of a preamp: Interfacing between a source which has only an unbalanced output to an amplifier that only has a balanced input or vice versa. To al…

[PAR (Pete Rogers)]

That’s a nice answer and link to a question about how to set the correct line voltage. However I would be fascinated to learn the answer to the OP’s question:

@Buizesmurf

i want to know what happend inside de dCS dac,s?
What is the original output?Is there a kind off amplification or a kind off altinator- volume control inside for the other outputs?

i don’t know the answer to this so can someone tell me and @Buizesmurf ?

[Anupc (Anup)]

@Buizesmurf

What is the original output?Is there a kind off amplification or a kind off altinator- volume control inside for the other outputs?

(If I’m not mistaken), the output stage of dCS DACs have a relay for each channel that switches circuits depending on the output voltage selected. So, it’s not exactly just attenuation/ amplification as such (so, both voltage levels are “original”). As far as I recall, that’s how it works for the 2V and 6V output values.

However, I’m not exactly sure how the 0.2V and the 0.6V are accomplished, as those were added by firmware updates at some point if I remember correctly Maybe @Phil can help address.

[James (James Cook)]

Yes, that’s correct - separate circuits for 2v and 6v, so both are ‘original’.

0.2v and 0.6v are done with fixed level digital attenuation on either the 2v or 6v outputs respectively - mainly in place for safety, so for example AirPlay doesn’t accidentally go full scale and blow tweeters across the room.

[AMdeC (Augusto)]

Some effect in sound quality because this digital attenuation in 0,2 and 0,6 v output or not? Thanks

[Urbanluthier]

really good to know that the .2V and .6V outputs are digitally attenuated. Thanks for sharing.

At one point I tried to compare listening to each output level matched. For example -30dB at 6V vs -20dB at 2V and -10dB at .6v and 0dB at .2V. Each roughly the same loudness. With very dynamic music, I thought the 2V and 6V output sounded better, but for low dynamic range recordings I found it hard to tell them apart.

Right now, I use either the 2V or 6V out direct into a Benchmark AHB2 (with the amp on the lowest gain setting). This usually means -10 to 0dB on the 2v setting and some very dynamic recordings I can use 6V at the top end.

My subjective feeling is that the closer you get to 0dB at 2V or 6V the better it sounds. I can do this because my amp is low powered (compared to most here) 100W at 9.8V and I listen near field.

[August (August H)]

I use 6V out because it sounds best to me, more dynamic. I only use 2V in those cases where the amplifier gain is too high that a risk of clipping exists. That happened on some amps, so it’s always good to test in your own system.

[PAR (Pete Rogers)]

@Urbanluthier

I can do this because my amp is low powered (compared to most here)

The maximum output of the power amp is not really the arbiter of the appropriate line voltage of the DAC to choose. At least not initially ( if at all).

Success will depend upon the input sensitivity of the preamp, its gain and the input sensitivity of the power amp and its gain, at least for starters.

Choice of an input level which exceeds the amplification sensitivity usually leads to increased distortion ( and before clipping is encountered) and I wonder if the “increased dynamics” are actually a subjective interpretation of this?

[Urbanluthier]

Hi Pete I think you are missing my point - although we are saying the same thing regarding the sensitivity and gain of an Amp. I don’t use a pre amp. (but dCS recommends 2v out if one does to avoid clipping the input as we know) I go direct into my Benchmark AHB2 which has several voltage settings. I choose the lowest setting which is 9.8V to get to a rated 100w. This way I can set my Bartok to 2V or even 6V out and ride the top end of the volume control. In many cases I can listen at 0dB at 2V out! Since I listen mid field, I’m really only using a handful of watts 20w ish even at peaks - with no possibility of clipping my amp

I agree - I think the power output of one’s amp (along with sensitivity) has a huge impact if one is going direct with no pre amp. If I had say a 1KW amp instead which drove to rated output at 2v, I’d need to back the volume well below -30db dB - even with the .2 and .6v outputs on the dCS. This would be a gain mis match