Maybe it is that you don't need a preamp. If you don't plan to have any other sources, you might be just fine.
One concern might be that the DAC, although balanced, might not support the balanced standard. That is a common problem in high end audio. The point of the standard is to eliminate cable interactions with the system, so you will know that there is a problem if you can hear differences between interconnect cables.
This **could** be solved to some advantage by a preamp that does support the standard, but IME high end audio preamps that support the standard are few and far between!
Another concern is how the volume control functions- as in: does it cause audible loss of resolution at low volumes? This is an area where an analog control can work a lot better, but FWIW, IME the JRiver system works pretty good.
One concern might be that the DAC, although balanced, might not support the balanced standard. That is a common problem in high end audio. The point of the standard is to eliminate cable interactions with the system, so you will know that there is a problem if you can hear differences between interconnect cables.
This **could** be solved to some advantage by a preamp that does support the standard, but IME high end audio preamps that support the standard are few and far between!
Another concern is how the volume control functions- as in: does it cause audible loss of resolution at low volumes? This is an area where an analog control can work a lot better, but FWIW, IME the JRiver system works pretty good.