Bypass preamp, better sound, yet fatiguing?

Well, it's not the cable. Just tried a Transparent reference MM XLR cable, directly from the player into the VTLs, and it's still "too" detailed (i.e., fatiguing).

Maybe there is an issue with the impedances (i.e., impedances are not well matched without a preamp in the chain). The output from the CD-player is 2.2 volts, so without a preamp, the volume control in the CD-player is probably only attenuating the signal. There is something the preamp does which minimizes distortion, and which appears to give the music more "body".

Well...my system isn't as hi-end as the one in question...however...it is musical...at any rate...running my source directly into my amp was a let down... increased grain, and lack of image depth were very apparent...just my .02...

It all depends on system synergy. Try Silent Audio Apollo C (copper) cables directly to your SS amp or SS preamp. They tamed some of the harshness from my system and are very good with SS equipment. My system (as it is now) sounds better directly to my amp. I may experiment with a tube preamp at some time down the road........

My hunch is you have several issues here;

1. You make no mention of line conditioning. If you were to install proper line conditioners, then not only will your enhanced detail become even more enhanced, pristine, and musical but you will notice that the listener fatigue should go away instantly. Everybody has dirty AC coming in from the street and everybody will benefit from proper line conditioning. Furthermore, if your source is digital, then your digital source is inducing a bi-directional digital noise back into the AC for the other components to pick up. So any line conditioners you were to consider should also be capable of bi-directional filtering.

2. Your ics and scs may be inducing a certain amount of time smear that leads to grainy or hash ear-fatiguing sound in the highs and an ill-defined bass in the bottom end. This is a very common problem among scs and ics but I cannot speak specifically about the Transparent lineup.

3. It sounds as though your preamp is a bit subdued in the detail department and is thus masking not only the detail but also some of the detriments of a system not using proper line conditioning.

I'd guess that lack of proper line conditioning is by far your biggest problem, then your preamp, and possibly your scs and ics.

Furthermore, I'd guess that if you borrowed the appropriate line-conditioners (not all are worth owning), not only will you be enjoying your system's sonics far more, but you'll probably sell your preamp (which would help pay for the line conditioners).

-IMO