Best way to add stereo subwoofer pre-outs to existing DAC/preamp?

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Is it okay to just add another set of RCA jacks and internally connect them to the existing stereo L/R pre-outs?

Or should a separate output stage be implemented?

I should note that I am not concerned with filtering in this stage, just connecting to subwoofers with filters already on their inputs.
 
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The answer to your question is quite possibly yes, but no guarantees.

You're actually talking about what's called a distribution amplifier. The important consideration is low impedance outputs (low Zout) feeding high impedance inputs (high Zin)

It's odds-on you already have this situation, BUT every time you add a device to the output of your DAC you're decreasing the impedance that the DAC output sees.

This is because the DAC sees all the devices it's feeding as resistors in parallel. So you might have one device connected now, and the DAC effectively is feeding a Zin of 5k (not an unusual Zin for consumer equipment).

Connect another device. The DAC is now feeding 5k || 5k, an effective Zin of 2.5k. This is OK, but getting on toward the theoretical limit.

Two more devices added, total of 4. The DAC now sees 5k || 5k || 5k || 5k, it's feeding a total Zin of 1.25k. This is pretty low. The output chip might heat up, and you might have distortion ("might" because I don't know your actual situation).

But if you only connect 1 device for a left channel, and 1 device for a right channel, you're only adding 1 device as far as the DAC is concerned...depending on the DAC's actual circuit. So you might well slide by without any ill effects at all...maybe.
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Hi,

The long sub cables will severely degrade performance in most
cases, excessively loading the treble end of the main signal.

Adding series resistors to the subouts can actually make things
much better, though the sub cable will then have a treble roll-off.

Of course you can just add buffers / separate outputs.

rgds, sreten.
 
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