New Preamp or Long Cables/Interconnects?

[Ajani]

So I've cut down my options to one of the following:

1) Run approx 40 ft of IC and use the volume control (gain stage) of the DAC1...

2) Buy a remote controlled passive pre (Creek OBH-22 being the most likely option, or the Placette RVC if I'm willing to spend more) and set the output level on the DAC1 to fixed...


Note: I ruled out adding an Emotiva Pre as I don't want another active stage in the signal chain... and I ruled out long speaker cable as I don't want to relocate the amp....

So I guess it comes down to whether the volume control of the DAC1 driving 40 ft of IC is better than a Passive pre driving 3 ft or less of IC....

EDIT: According to the DAC1 manual, the RCA connections have an output impedance of 30 (as E-Stat said earlier) and are able to drive a maximum cable length of 1360ft... So hopefully 40ft should be fine....

[blackraven]

I may have to reconsider my options here... I calculated cable length based on running the cables around the floor (which means they'd be under the doormat for the entrance - which is not a great idea unless I find flat cables... and If I use flat ones then I might as well just run them direct to me under a rug - about 8 ft)... If I run them over the door I need around 40 ft of cable/IC....

Anyway, this is a pic of the room at the moment:

Can you run them up through the ceiling and down the back wall?

[Ajani]

Can you run them up through the ceiling and down the back wall?

The ceiling is actually about 20 ft high on the wall behind the speakers and about 12 ft high behind the couch, so it would be about the same length of cable if I run it that way...

[audio amateur]

I vote for the rug option

[Ajani]

I vote for the rug option

That would only work if I find flat ICs.... otherwise I'd have an ugly bulge in the rug... And I'm certain that some clown would insist on walking on it....

[Ajani]

More and more the Placette RVC is looking intriguing:

http://www.placetteaudio.com/remote_control.htm

It is exactly what I need; 1 input and a remote... While the gain control in the DAC1 is generally regarded as very good SS, The RVC seems to be an excellent volume control.... So it may well be an improvement over the DAC1...

The Creek seems nice enough, but I'm not sure if it would be an improvement over the DAC1...

So I may just continue with my setup as is, until I can get the Placette....

[audio amateur]

Why would you spend so much money on something that's not even going to change or improve the sound? For a lot less you can probably get yourself a pair of good flat interconnects

[audio amateur]

With the rest of the money you can buy a rug and other stuff for the room, looks like it needs a little decoration.

[Ajani]

Why would you spend so much money on something that's not even going to change or improve the sound? For a lot less you can probably get yourself a pair of good flat interconnects

The reason to spend the extra for the Placette would be the assumption that it will sound better than the gain stage of the DAC1...

For a lot less I could just run 45ft of BJC LC1....

[audio amateur]

I didn't know you could by pass the gain stage on the DAC1

[Ajani]

I didn't know you could by pass the gain stage on the DAC1

Bypassing the volume control on the DAC1 (and especially the -20db internal jumpers on the XLR) is a rite of passage for audiophiles....

Note: I haven't switched the XLR jumpers to 0db, which is likely why I prefer the RCA sound of the DAC1 - the problem being that since about 10 oclock is the max volume I can tolerate, then increasing the volume 20db would mean I basically can't touch the volume control at all in balanced mode....

[Ajani]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions... While I think I'll eventually want to check out the Placette Passive, the best move for the foreseeable future is to combine AA and PoppaC's suggestions; Place the DAC1/Classic on the coffee table and run some ICs direct to them... Not under a rug, just plug the cables into the DAC when I'm ready to start listening to music (otherwise leave them just attached to the amp, out of the walkway)... Dirt cheap and since the cables would be under 3M then I don't need to worry about sound degradation...

[Feanor]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions... While I think I'll eventually want to check out the Placette Passive, the best move for the foreseeable future is to combine AA and PoppaC's suggestions; Place the DAC1/Classic on the coffee table and run some ICs direct to them... Not under a rug, just plug the cables into the DAC when I'm ready to start listening to music (otherwise leave them just attached to the amp, out of the walkway)... Dirt cheap and since the cables would be under 3M then I don't need to worry about sound degradation...

Brutally practical guys, AA and PC.