Best way to hear a puccini?Direct or thru preamp?

It's not so simple, in some systems it works better direct in other with a preamp. After many combinations and tests, if you have tube amplifiers "better" go direct; with solid state amplifier better maybe a preamp is needed.

In general if you have a tube preamp and dCS Puccini you can have always 2 flavors of sound!
You can have rock, symphonic and dynamic music direct & more intimate music, voices with tube preamp.

System synergy and personal taste may differ but that's what counts in the end.

I totaly agree with Elberoth even I own ARC Ref-3 as well. If your purpose is only listening music and having fun, than go direct with a very very good interconnect since its role gets critical.

I don't have the Puccini, but did have Delius and Purcel. I prefered them through a preamp, an Aesthetix Calypso. But I have heard and spoken with people that prefer them direct (as well as other brands, ie. Wadia, Audio Aero,Emm Labs [all of which I have owned and preferred, for the most part, via a preamp] etc. . . ). As a result, I think this may be a case of synergy since I don't think the differing opinions would be as strongly biased. That being said, I would suggest making your own determination. For what it is worth, I ran mine with a Krell amp (fpb300C) and Wilson (W/P) speakers.

I compared Puccini direct to my ARC Ref-3 and Dartzeel pre, and each time, I prefered the direct conection.

good to know...thanks...I might change to a tube preamp maybe a VAC any thoughts? Currently auditioning a pass xp-20 and a krell 202

I own a Puccini and honestly, a pre amp is the way to go. I believe the volume control acts in the digital domain, therefore, the lower the volume, the less resolution. My preamp is a Nagra PL-L and is quite synergistic with it and my MX-Rs.