Cd direct to power amp

Buy or borrow RCA and listen to it direct to the amp. To my ears, there is somewhat more "clarity" that comes at the expense of being musical (mostly I think due to a loss of dynamics - both macro and micro). I also do not like the fact that the Wadia units accomplish volume control by losing resolution. We pay increasingly higher $$ to get from 16 bit to 20 bit to 24 bit, why give it all back to avoid using a pre-amp??

Randalleron - If you adjust the output to keep the average listening level near "85" or so, then you cannot get listening levels whre you want them for certain CDs recorded at a lower level, or when you are in the mood for some punch!! If you adjust the output internally to allow for that, average listening levels end up being in the 70's - too much bit-chopping. I think first impressions are that direct is better - again the clarity increases. But, to my ears, so does listening fatigue and "cringing" during certain passages. We have to be careful searrching for the holy grail of "detail" as I feel it leads to systems that are far too analytical. Music is not analytical ... it is music.