I Nearly Misjudged the MSB Reference DAC: Preamp vs Direct to Power Amp

My first serious listen to the MSB Reference DAC left me underwhelmed. The turning point came when I bypassed the preamplifier and ran the DAC directly into the power amplifier. In Part 2, I explain what changed, why the Reference DAC’s analogue volume control matters, how the result compared with my experience of the dCS Rossini, and why system matching can completely alter the conclusion you reach about a reference-level DAC. This is not a claim that every DAC should replace a preamplifier. It is a listening review of what happened in this particular system—and why the first result was not the final one. Request an MSB private audition in Melbourne: https://msnaudio.com.au/services/msb-... View the specific MSB Reference DAC featured in this series: https://msnaudio.com.au/shop/demo-tra... Watch Part 1 — What Made This Configuration A$85,000?:    • MSB Reference DAC Review: What Made This C...   Read the complete listening review: https://msnaudio.com.au/learn/digital... Explore the complete series:    • MSB Reference DAC Review: What Made This C...   MSN Audio is an authorised Australian MSB Technology dealer. This review reflects our experience with one specific late-2022 Reference DAC configuration in a known system and room. It should be understood as system-specific listening evidence, not a universal recommendation to remove every preamplifier. #MSBTechnology #MSBReferenceDAC #AudiophileDAC