Are Preamplifier’s Relevant Today or just a Hinderance with Digital Playback ?

@duckworp as do i, on both digital and high speed tape....couple Bryston monoblocks in the rack and some Bryston Middle T...for monitors, Stax for the close in work

Let the chorale pick the ribbons...

chasing another ounce of detail out of Aja....is chasing your own tail...but a lot of fun

indeed knowlege of your preferences is self awareness 

Convincing yourself that a preamp does not help does save you some money.
I tried a couple of passive preamps.  They were much worse sounding than the same companies' active ones, and suspect that these non-preamp people are missing out on something

I've been doing some experimenting with this very thing recently. Using dac's digital volume control least desirable, loss of bits means resolution losses. I also have three choices of passive volume attenuation available. Passive resistor volume control built into my Coincident Turbo 845SE, Schitt Saga (also resistor based volume control) on passive or tube buffer setting. I also have Coincident Statement MKII linestage for active pre with further upgraded Amtrans rotary selector (transformer volume control).

As I stated previously, dac direct to amp has always been least desirable going through many amp and dac combinations over the years. Passive with either the Schitt or Coincident Turbo third best. Schitt on tube buffer setting second best, adds some meat on the bone. Statement active best, none of the others can match the micro and macro dynamics provided by acitve. These added dynamics provide a much greater sense of real live performers in room. Other added sq improvements, just on a lesser scale.

Still, apples to oranges here, over 6k active vs. $400 plus nice 6sn7 tube in Schitt or questionable cost of passive built into Turbo. The marginal gains here make all the difference for me.

Hi @sns,
I haven’t heard the Coincident 845 Turbo SE but word of mouth reports are of very high praise. So I suspected its passive preamplifier section must be pretty good. Your comparison with the Coincident Statement Line Stage is informative.  The Statement is a superb component and for all the reasons you mentioned. It pairs marvelously with my Frankenstein 300b mono blocks.

I’ve also heard my amplifier paired with the Atma-Spherw MP-1 and VAC Signature MK II, both were splendid. High quality active preamplifiers are formidable.
Charles