I’ve been kind of wandering around the Hifi desert and I think I figured out a direction!
I think ..I’m going to purchase ATC SCM 40a I’ll use my Chord Dave as Preamp/Dac my Auralic Aries as streamer. Depending on bass I’ll keep my REL Classic 98 subs. I’m thinking of Cardas Clear XLR interconnect. I’ll move on my Mark Levinson no.585.5 and Dynaudio Heritage Special’s also numerous expensive cables.
Any opinions are welcome 
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No Naim?
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What Naim would I use?
Given you have a Dave and will also be using active speakers, I guess your only options would be a Naim streamer and/or pre-amp. 300 series is mighty fine in my view, but your system would be nice and compact with just the Auralic and Dave…I am very happy with my ‘less is more’ approach using a Selekt with the 350s. These type of simplified set-ups definitely seem to be the emerging trend.
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The problem is with the ATC actives, if I need a preamp it has to have XLR outputs since the ATC ‘s only have XLR inputs. Looking at Naim I think the only logical choice would be the Nac 332, unfortunately in the USA it’s $11,000 !!
In any event I need to try the Dave as a preamp before buying a preamp
I replaced the supplied mains cables with Titan Audio cables on my 40A’s, so if you have alternative mains cables, it might be worth a try.
Otherwise, as a 40A’s owner, good choice!
TBH, if I didn’t have quite a few LPs and CDs, a streamer/dac and active speakers is the way I would go now.
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@BigAl I’ll probably use Shunyata Theta NC
If you already have them it’s worth a go. The Titan Helios I bought were a lot cheaper than Shunyata cables, so I was not too heavily invested in convincing myself that they made a difference.
ATC are not proponents of changing mains cables (not for safety or incompatibility reasons), so maybe try the speakers with the supplied cables, then swapping .
Look forward to seeing them on the "Show us your ATC’S " thread 
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Ideally balanced outputs which I think Dave has.
Roger
He does indeed.
I haven’t heard the SCM40 but I do have a pair of those midrange units, which are sublime. My only concern about the 40 is bass capability, but with subs if truly decent and properly set up I imagine the result could be really good. Add active drive, and the superb Dave, and my expectation is that I’d likely find very enjoyable. I would b surprised if you don’t find the same!
There is one well known forum member who tested the Dave at length with and without the matching Chord preamp into the Etude power amp. IIRC they had to conclude the preamp was still important in providing the best performance.
So it’s probably worth trying it between the Dave and the ATCs.
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That’s exactly my thought. I’ll first try it with just the Dave. Then take it from there.
Some of us are very happy without the addition of a box between Dave and power amp, avoiding additional electronics that inevitably in some way will alter the sound. Dave is very stable and unfussy about whatever it feeds, and has optional high frequency filtering if needed (some power amps need a preamp to limit HF).
However with the SCM40A Dave would not be feeding a power amp, but an active XO.
I actually wrote to Chord Electronics regarding the desirability of adding a preamp into the chain. Their response was in a single source system, no analogue sources, they don’t advise it.
Possibly a little off piste but Munich 2024 Chord were showing the Quad Mscaler for DAVE. Nothing since, and not shown at Munich 2025, most odd……there seemed to be a degree of want from customers at the time?
The ‘latest’ date for the Quartet scaler being mentioned is by the end of this year, nothing official from Chord.
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It’s just marketing.
Try now to say to them that you are interested by their preamp and ask if it worth buying it as you have the Dave. They will respond “ you can still enhance your system with our excellent pre”.
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In fairness to Chord I asked if my system would be improved on by adding a pre and they said no.
Depends on how exactly you ask. Many Dave owners, in elsewhere discussions, with only a digital source, shared on how transformative a top pre can be with the Dave. But i say a top pre, at minimum 20k.