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

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

I had a Benchmark HPA4 preamp with a Gustard X26 Pro and the sound was fabulous. A killer pairing.

Then a few weeks ago, I moved the HPA4 to another room and had the Gustard DAC direct to amp. The music sounds a bit more lean. I also have a few semi loud pops on the speaker and also varying amounts of hiss. Turning the Gustard OFF and then ON again reset the hiss to a lower level. This did not give me me confidence on the DAC direct to amp.

Today I put in a CODA 07x preamp with Gustard. Great sound again with more body to the sound. Different from the HPA4 preamp but both are way better than DAC direct to amp on my setup, especially so at low volume. I am listening at low volume while my son goes to sleep in the next room and everything is there in the music, just at a lower volume. A digital volume cannot do low volume well, parts of the music go missing.

...stopped using a preamp nearly 3 decades ago.
Haven't missed it a bit.
A digital 'switcher' handles What, a simple matrix switchbay determines How.

For me, a screen control over a digital 'switchbay' would be a nice touch.  Plug everything into The Box, poke 'n prod the program into the route dujour, and enjoy....or whatever I'm listening For....

Yes, I do listen to 'the stuff', but not to the cables or ICs'.
I already 'know' what that sounds like.  What it Is....not what it's not....;)