Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC Volume Control Resolution

[Napzca]

The voltage out of the DAC is 2.05v via the RCA outputs which is to high for the amplifier. If I lower the Voltage by adjusting the volume from 0dB to say -20dB will I lose resolution? i.e. is the volume control lossless?

 

[Nagraboy]

I doubt you’d hear any real losses if you’re playing at normal volume levels. Any losses would be well below the threshold of hearing. Most modern digital volume controls don’t work in the same way that they did when concerns about loss of resolution were first conceived.

I use the Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra with their own DAC Box S2+ and often adjust volume in the digital domain via Roon/iPad. It sounds fine to me. In fact, I once put the DAC directly into my power amp and controlled volume in Roon and it sounded amazing at 50% attenuation.

 

[JensenHealey]

There is an awful lot of tosh talked about in respect of 'loss of resolution' in digital volume controls.

 

[Nagraboy]

There is an awful lot of tosh talked about in respect of 'loss of resolution' in digital volume controls.

Yep, I think most of it is about paranoia rather than real world listening.

 

[brab]

I use an Audiolab Mdac designed by John Westlake who I believe also contributed to your DAC. I found that my DAC's volume control significantly degraded sq at the levels of attenuation you are considering. But perhaps digital volume controls have improved since the Mdac.