# Question for BHK Pre and DirectStream dac owners **URL:** \ **Category:** Audio Components\ **Created:** [July 18, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/question-for-bhk-pre-and-directstream-dac-owners/18061 "2020-07-18T20:57:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![paul172](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/paul172/32/308402_2.png) [@paul172](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/paul172)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/question-for-bhk-pre-and-directstream-dac-owners/18061/1 "2020-07-18T20:57:34Z")
I’m sure this is rehashing a past topic but I’m looking for a current and fresh response. If you own a BHK pre and a DirectStream dac have you ever compared running the dac direct before using the BHK in your system? If so How would you compare the sound with pre vs without? I ask because what I have read that the tubes make the bhk pre the obvious winner because it sounds more musical or natural. If the tubes are the secret ingredient would you get similar sound running the DirectStream dac into a bhk amp or M1200 amps both with tubes? Anyone who has experienced any of the above combos I’d love to read about your experience. Thank you for taking the time to respond! ---
**Author:** ![RonP](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/ronp/32/213555_2.png) [@RonP](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/RonP)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2020, 9:54pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/question-for-bhk-pre-and-directstream-dac-owners/18061/2 "2020-07-18T21:54:55Z")
This has been discussed many times on this forum. Our search engine isn’t great, but you can find them if you have absolutely nothing else to do. The BHK preamp is fabulous. And it’s the design overall; far more than just the existence of tubes. For example, look at the design of the volume control. It’s brilliant. I would say that if you see something described as having “secret ingredient” or “secret sauce”, I would avoid it. ---
**Author:** ![nortonkp](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/nortonkp/32/65506_2.png) [@nortonkp](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/nortonkp)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2020, 9:55pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/question-for-bhk-pre-and-directstream-dac-owners/18061/3 "2020-07-18T21:55:28Z")
You should read this thread… > [@Is a preamp necessary to improve sound quality?](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/is-a-preamp-necessary-to-improve-sound-quality/17930/93): > > Rob, more realism in musical reproduction is always welcome. Affordability is a different matter. Once I put the preamp in my rig and give it some burn in time I’ll know the degree of improvement and weather it is significant enough to matter to me. ---
**Author:** ![Elk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/elk/32/1240_2.png) [@Elk](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Elk)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2020, 10:21pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/question-for-bhk-pre-and-directstream-dac-owners/18061/4 "2020-07-18T22:21:06Z")
> [@RonP](#): > > Our search engine isn’t great . . . One can also use Google to search the PS Audio, including the forum. As an example: site:psaudio.com preamp ---
**Author:** ![RonP](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/ronp/32/213555_2.png) [@RonP](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/RonP)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2020, 1:06am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/question-for-bhk-pre-and-directstream-dac-owners/18061/5 "2020-07-19T01:06:38Z")
thanks for that ---
**Author:** ![paul172](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/paul172/32/308402_2.png) [@paul172](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/paul172)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2020, 1:38am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/question-for-bhk-pre-and-directstream-dac-owners/18061/6 "2020-07-19T01:38:48Z")
This will probably sound obvious for the bhk owners but I started with a stellar was using that as a preamp. I got a DirectStream dac and hooked it up to the stellar. The sound was good. I disconnected the DSD from the stellar and ran it straight to the M700’s. The difference was not subtle. I know the bhk is in a different league than the stellar but the first thing that comes to mind is will the jump from the DSD to a bhk be as big of a performance increase as going directly from the DirectStream and taking the stellar out of the chain? At least I didn’t post about fuses and the matrix spdif.