Any thoughts on removing a preamp from your system

i've tried using various DAC's with variable outputs in lieu of a dedicated preamp but was never satisfied with the results and always ended back with the pre in my system. this was the case until i tried the placette RVC, which has obviated the need for a preamp entirely for me.

I've tried it and didn't care for it. While I don't think you need much gain at all, no gain seemed to blunt the transients and diminsh the PRAT in my system.

I had high hopes for the Portal Pinnache when Joe first put it out, but it seemed to suffer from the same shortcomings that other passive preamps that I had tried.

I always went DAC with volume, (W4S dac2, and lampizator) with the idea that simple is better. And less to buy?! Hell yes. I have since added a Shindo Aurieges L and tried other preamps. Like others stated above it surprisingly added depth, image, and weight. And i do now believe it is the heart of the system and hard to eliminate.

It may be that active preamps often sound better.

The next question would be: why?

Synergy is always a consietation. Why would a good passive mated well be any lesser than with an active pre? Easier to mate correctly perhaps due to voltage and impedance matching? If that is done right, what secret ingredient is still missing?

There is usually a reason why some things work better than others.

Of course if a sub 1k passive can compete with the best active pres as some claim, that would be a significant thing.

Never considered passives and have only used actives or integrateds. I read a lot online and the guys praising passives are not that many. And direct to ampers always seems to lead back to using a preamp again.