I'm very new to this hobby. I use to just focus on headphones and was content.
I've been told there is no such thing as a stupid question... Just stupid people.
At one point I considering getting the node 2i hooking it up a schiit dac and from there an amp. Do I still need a pre amp for volume control? Or can I control the volume through the node 2i?
You can control the volume digitally through the Node, with or without a DAC. Not the best sounding option, but plenty of people find it adequate. I’d go with a preamp, but that’s just me.
There are plenty of DAC/preamp combos out there. Prices vary, as does sound quality. Some have remotes, some don’t. Some have more inputs than others. I used my Node 2 with M-Audio BX5 and BX8 powered monitors. With and without a Parasound Zpre3 (preamp). The Zpre3 sounded better. I haven’t bypassed the preamp section of my integrated amp and drove it directly with the Node 2 in my main system, but I’m pretty sure the differences would be far greater (worse sounding).
It really all depends on how good you want it to sound and how much you’re willing to pay.
