No preamp in system

@rvpiano . Hey L.I. buddy, I hope life is treating you well, as well as can be expected. Turning 71 soon, and I have to say, my ears still are quite youthful (thank goodness). I talk to my good friend from N.J. on our cells, I’m in FL., and I easily hear when he gets out of his car, and into his house, or vice versa. The listening space is easily heard by me, and I always shout it out to him. "Your in the house now"...and he is always blown away, because it never happens with him, and he has good ears. Enough about that. Listening passively vs. a preamp (with gain), are very different in what they do. I go back and forth between my Luminous Audio passive unit but use a preamp or two when I am running my Rawson DIY F4, which needs gain. During this time, when I connect another power amp (of so many) with the preamp being in the loop, the sq is great, but little details are lost. With the preamp, there is a "jump" factor that is not there with the passive. I am a dynamics freak, but I am not talking about dynamics here. Another word that describes what I am talking about. Overhead, maybe. Both are enjoyable, but I mainly use my preamps for when I am enjoying the characteristics (or lack of) of the F4. BTW, there are sq differences is passive units, and I love my Luminous. Can you describe what you are and/or not hearing? Always, MrD.

Glad to hear you are getting used to it. Likely getting your preamp will be a real treat when returned. 

Good question you pose, of perspective and time. Until about twenty five years ago, I would say my perception was pretty relative. What sounded good, was based on what I heard. There were systems that sounded better... typically based how many details, how much bass, the width and depth of the soundstage. But I think my perception over time could be influenced by exposure and time.  

Then I went out to hear what real music sounded like. Specifically to develop an absolute measure... yardstick. For over twenty years I steeped myself in live acoustic music specifically develop an absolute measure against which to judge my system and system choices. 

I will say that my perception will vary a little... but during that time I also assembled my system to sound like the real thing... so that the absolute is reinforced. So, while I am sure my perception of "good sounding" varies a little... probably not a lot.

I’m pretty sure lots of folks simply wonder around in solution space just comparing one system versus another and in that case lots of drift is likely... I think. 

Just a stab at it. 

There are many ways to sound “good”. You never know until you try. 

Everything is relative.

@mrdecibel 

Hi!  I hope all is going well with you too.  
To answer your question: Without the preamp most everything sounds very good, but is missing something. That something is the high frequencies and, to an extent, soundstaging.  And, on some things I think it actually sounds a little better that way. With most things though it lacks a certain presence and excitement.