Is 100% volume still recommended?

Audio Components DACs
1

In the olden days of the PerfectWave DAC marks 1 and 2, it was advised to keep the volume on the DAC no lower than 50.

I’m thinking with the new DirectStream that is no longer necessary, but I thought I’d check.

Thanks.

2

In general it’s not a problem with the DS.

The DS doesn’t loose bits digitally no matter what the volume is set to. Still there’s an analog noise floor so if you never have the volume set above, say 60, you’d be better off to use the 20dB attenuator and have the volume up nearer 100. Since the 20dB attenuator is implemented passively in analog it lowers the analog noise floor by, well, 20dB.

Also, FWIW, there’s nothing special about 100, e.g. 93 (or any volume setting that works for you) will not cause any less accuracy anywhere in the DS than you get with the volume at 100.