Is Pre-Amp needed

add something into the signal path and the results are like the optomotrist says, same, better, or worse

its on us if we feel we should introduce a dedicated line stage between the source and amp.

I feel that decision is based on what I hear. usually, I'm looking for naturalness and organics. I also feel if that is not what is going on I should try to achieve it. usually this means adding tubes, IMO.

tube pre amps can alter and or enhance the sound cheaper than a very good solid stae preamp can. usually.

it does not mean one needs more than a single source to chase that goose.

its merely a matter of preffs and certainly just one more choice in this past time..

The coloration of the music customized to your liking is what it’s all about in my opinion. That’s what interconnects, speaker cables, power cords, tube rolling, etc does. With or without a preamp of your choice depending on what sound you like best. No one answer is universal.

lak said " Music customized to your liking ". System synergy. I said this on another thread. : " I believe an audio system, as a whole, should be able to " show forth " the recordings, in such a way, that when you are in your listening seat ( the sweet spot ), you are hearing your favorite artists and musicians, performing at their " finest ", in their chosen acoustic space, and you, are completely engulfed, and entertained, in the experience ". A final studio recording will not have a singer sound like he / she has a cold. They will record it on a day the voice is strong and competent. This is what I meant as " finest ". Imaging, spatial localization, ambience, are all being created by the recording and mastering engineers, as these characteristics are on the recordings. We all choose to hear our recordings with certain likes, wants and desires, whatever ways it gets us there. Passive, is " my way " to get their. Enjoy ! MrD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=377&v=Dh27E7YKN9s

I guess it depends on your definition. If your DAC/Source has a volume control then you are using a preamp. It may be rudimentary or elaborate but it is nonetheless a preamp. Some Dacs/Sources have exceptional inboard analog preamp circuitry while others may not.

For those that say they prefer the purity of no preamp, they are actually saying that they prefer the sound of THEIR source’s preamp rather than the sound of THEIR source’s preamp run through another outboard preamp.

For those with digital volume controls on their source that they prefer the sound of, they may be truncating the data. In those cases, a source with a digital volume control will typically sound better run at full volume (or the point on the source volume where data is no longer truncated) through a high quality preamp.

I have a $11k retail DAC which has a very nice analog output stage and volume control. It sounds really nice amp direct. It sounds even better through an Audio Research Reference preamp. YMMV.