To achieve the best possible sound you must get a CD player that uses an analog volume control like the Wadia, Theta or Resolution Audio. Many other cd players use digital volume controls that just throw away bits to reduce volume. Great Pre-amps should be transparent so that even if you where to connect a CD player through it it should sound the same as connecting the CD player directly to the amp since the main function of the pre-amp is to provide switching of multiple sources and to control volume. Even though many people use pre-amps to change the quality of the sound a perfect pre-amp should in no way effect the sound of the source, just pass the sound without adding or subtracting anything. If your only source is going to be CD then save the money you would spend on a pre-amp and the extra set of cables and put that money towards a high quality CD player with analog volume controls, you should be very happy.
CD direct to Amp/Current TAS issue ?
In the current issue of the Absolute Sound, the reviewers are asked to put together reccomended systems within certain price ranges (this is a great issue, BTW). One of the reccomended systems has an amp and CD player, but no preamp. The reviewer says something to the effect of "Because the CD player has an analog output level control, a preamp is not required and that money can be put into other areas of the system." Does this work with any CD player/Amp combination as long as the CD has an output level control? Is there any risk of damaging the amp or speakers by using this "no preamp" configuration? Other than being limited to only one input source, are there any drawbacks to going direct to amp? I appreciate any light you can shed on this subject, especially if any of you are actually running your systems in this configuration.