[Listening Test] Volumio Preciso - an extremely versatile DAC

Product: Volumio Preciso - DAC
Manufacturer: Volumio - Italy
Cost: €799 - €838 with remote
Reviewer: Lucio Cadeddu - TNT-Audio Italy
Reviewed: September, 2026

Some months ago, we published our review of Volumio's Primo Plus streamer, and a few years earlier we covered the Volumio software itself. When releasing the Primo Plus review, we were delighted to discover that the Volumio team had taken their first steps into Hi-Fi by reading TNT-Audio (see their comment on the matter) - something that naturally gave us great satisfaction...

With that in mind, I hope the designers will forgive me if I approach this review with the same mindset I adopt when evaluating a student's thesis :-)

A closer look

The Preciso is a highly versatile DAC, built around dual ESS SABRE ES9039Q2M converters, twin linear power supplies dedicated separately to the analogue and digital sections, and a precision MEMS clock. It employs high-grade op-amps (OPA1612), C0G capacitors, and an ASIC-based USB interface, while an integrated hardware gain control provides fine 0.5 dB steps - allowing the Preciso to be connected directly to a power amplifier or active loudspeakers. A NOS (No Over Sampling) mode is available for enthusiasts of this kind of D/A conversion approach. In the Sabre chip used here, both the FIR oversampling filters and the IIR stage can be bypassed, as explained in this note from Volumio.

The Preciso offers both balanced and unbalanced outputs, and inputs via USB, HDMI, coaxial, optical, and I2S. The elegant aluminium remote controls all functions, including output volume, while a small display provides the essential operating information. The cabinet is well finished and attractively designed, finally departing from the usual rectangular boxes in both shape and size (just 27 cm wide). The “Made in Italy” badge - along with the designer's name (Dario Murgia) printed on the board - adds an extra touch of Italian pride.
For the technically curious, here is a set of measurements carried out by Volumio on the Preciso.

Declared tech specs

Listening notes

A name that speaks for itself: this DAC is precise by name and by nature. Its tonal balance is essentially neutral and transparent, with midrange and treble that are punctual, clean and - yes - precise, without ever drifting into the kind of hyper-detail that becomes fatiguing over time, especially with certain recordings. Yet it is not a sterile or lightweight performer, because supporting the entire mid-high structure is a rock-solid low end, which is deep, authoritative and controlled - more commonly found in DACs at a significantly higher price point.

It is, in essence, a modern sound: nothing is gifted to euphony, to artificial rounding, or to warmth for its own sake. This DAC digs deep into the musical message and reproduces it with honesty and integrity, without sleight of hand or clever tricks. If you are looking for a DAC with a deliberately “voiced” character, this is not the one for you.

Its harmonic richness is very good for the price class, and it faithfully preserves the timbre of any acoustic instrument. Vocals are clean and free of smearing, even when the singer's delivery bites into the upper registers. There is a hint of leanness in the lower midrange of voices, but nothing that drains the performance of presence or emotional weight.

One aspect that makes it feel like a far more ambitious DAC is its dynamic performance, combined with attack and release speed that consistently gives music the right sense of vitality, even with genres that demand it most. Rhythm is tight and - again! - precise, with no artificial slowing and no hint of haste. Even with the most energetic material, punch and control are never lacking.

Soundstage reproduction is very good, projected slightly forward from the loudspeaker plane. Instruments and voices are placed with accuracy, offering excellent stability and focus. Stage height is convincing, making the virtual soundstage reconstructed by this DAC both credible and geometrically coherent. I would have appreciated a touch more depth and a clearer horizontal layering of the musical planes, but one must always remember that this remains a feature-rich DAC offered at a very reasonable price - especially considering it is designed and built in Italy.

The eight digital filters available on the DAC chips do not produce substantial differences in listening, whereas the NOS mode (i.e., without oversampling) certainly does. In practice, the decay of the upper frequencies changes, resulting in a slightly rounder sound - at times even more fluid and natural. Dynamics remain essentially unchanged, but the soundstage does shift: depth increases and layering improves. I confess that, with most recordings, I preferred listening with the NOS mode engaged. Perhaps a touch of detail is lost, but overall musicality improves. These are nuances, of course, but clearly audible in a properly set-up system (and room). Do not expect to hear such differences on a desktop setup or with speakers placed inside a bookshelf or on a wall unit. Placebo effect aside, these differences will be completely inaudible.

Comparisons

How does the Preciso compare to other similarly priced DACs reviewed here on TNT-Audio? The Manunta Audio EVO3.1 offers Bluetooth input and MQA decoding but lacks a display and costs slightly more (+€200). Sonically, I would say they are on par in the mid-high range, but the Volumio Preciso delivers more powerful and deeper bass. The NuPrime DAC9, which is similarly priced, also functions as a basic preamplifier (featuring an analog input) and offers an AES/EBU digital input, though it requires an add-on module for Bluetooth. In terms of sound, the DAC9 lacks the precision and transparency of the Preciso in the mid-high range, whereas the bass performance is quite similar. Personally, weighing the pros and cons, I would choose the Volumio Preciso.

Remarks & Complaints

Conclusions

A fully Italian DAC, priced far from the excesses the Hi-Fi industry seems intent on normalizing, that works flawlessly, is extremely versatile, visually original and appealing, and sounds good. A graduation exam passed with full marks!

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Volumio Preciso - DAC