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

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

Hi Luis,
It’s is perfectly logical to use live music listening experiences as a template . How can someone reasonably identify the sound of instruments as authentic if you have never heard it in a live setting? If for example you had never heard a baritone saxophone in person how could judge its sound when listening to a recording of one?

This doesn’t mean you expect your system to sound exactly like the live performance. But you could decide which audio components more closely mimics live instruments/vocals relative to competing components. Your ears would allow you to recognise or distinguish what you believe "sounds more real". Based on actual live exposure.

The listening and judging process will be subjective (By default).as people hearing the same live performance will interpret and describe the experience differently. @djones51 summed it up well, essentially choose which ever approach works best for you and leads to enjoyment listening to music. Agree 100%.
Charles

Hi Don,
You trust your ears and I trust mine, as a result we've reached different conclusions. You find your  preferred approach presumably more sonically accurate.  I find my approach more sonically realistic. We're  both happy and neither of us has to settle for the others choice. It works out fine.
Charles 

@in_shore,
Last look other members were lining up taking shots at him some suggested what he was actually hearing was nothing more then colorations he just discovered... I just went back to the topic and see every comment and reaction to his post was erased.

Yep, the dreaded "colorations" again. Told ya 😆😆.
Charles

@yoby,
Agree with you, but remember the anti-active preamplifier adherents view many (All?) of the positive attributes you listed (Per bigkidz) as colorations. Particularly if "flesh on the bone" or "fuller body/tone" are cited.
Charles

@jond,
Yep, couldn't be expressed  any better.
Charles