DAC or DAC/preamp

[mevdinc]

I personally prefer going DAC direct to my active speakers, no additional preamp in between.
So, I have always opted for a DAC with a very good built-in analog volume control. So far, this choice has worked very well for me.

My choice of DACs also offer at least one analog input (this has been useful for home cinema setup).

My latest DAC Lindemann Musicbook DSD 20 also comes with a streamer, but I mostly use it with my Macmini connected via USB.
 

[mevdinc]

22 minutes ago, DuckToller said:

When I was at Lindemanns in May 2019 after I visited them at the MHE, I was informed that the app is only a revetment of the ROON functionality, i.e. a handcrafted surface without any specific functionality. Could you confirm that @mevdinc in real life???

@nikolaos1969 the musicbook features a DAC and delivers an analog signal via XLR balanced to your amplifier XLR in (analog) using the preamp line stage. That is the standard way any DAC would use for forwarding the signal to your amp.

I have the Lindemann Musicbook DSD 20 and, as I already sated, I hardly use the streaming section and their app. Supplied app is very basic and I only use it sometimes to control the volume.

I was seriously considering an upgrade to the new version, Musicbook Source, which apparently has a better app and streaming functionality.
But the Source does not have USB input and I just don't understand their decision about not including it. They told me that their network streaming is very good and there's no need for USB.
The lack of USB input stopped me from going ahead with the upgrade to be honest.
 

[mevdinc]

36 minutes ago, nikolaos1969 said:

The reason discussing the DAC/preamp is that Lumin u1 incorporates LEEDH processing, https://www.luminmusic.com/support-leedh-processing.html, and that can be achieved via a pre-amp.

I was very interested in LEEDH and thought that it would be implemented in more DACs and used by more software players. At one point Audirvana was going to use it as well but subsequently dropped it
Software volume control is getting better and better but it's still not 100% lossless.
So, I decided to opt for DACs that offer very good analog volume such as my Lindemann.

[mevdinc]

It does seem that RME DACs accept USB input.