Do I really need a preamp?

I use a passive and have for about 25 yrs. I have never really wondered much why it sounds good to me. I have had and listened to new and older ss and tube pres in the 2000-8000 range. And I always go back to a passive. I have heard systems with passives sound really bad, much like has been described by others. I just had a thought and maybe this has been considered before. I know the passive does not introduce much of a coloration but because of its lack of a gain stage it may lack some control over the signal which could and probably does effect the sound. But I think more than that the passive seems to revel what else is in your system. Before and after it. And when a passive is introduced and the sound leans out or is to clean or other negative traits it maybe that the equipment it is put in the system with may not be up to working well together. If you could begin by getting the amp and/or speakers and/or cables or whatever that plays well with a passive or in other words with a component that logically couldn't do much harm to a signal but rather complement its sound you could really enjoy a passive in that system. And then that begs the question- Because a passive really doesn't do much to a signal is a lot of the equipment that is in our systems not very good sounding on its own? Not to be controversial, but I do wonder.

I do have to say I have purposely picked out matching components that support and complement my system with a passive attenuator. We can't get away from things being system dependent I don't think. I have heard some great sounding systems with active pre.'s. It seems to me I can hear extra electronics in my system when I put in more that I have. I am probably delusional but that's ok with me. I like the less is more if I can make it work. And it has worked really well for me.

I use a passive attenuator. I see George saying what matches well with such a control in a system. I would like to say that I think in my system I benefited from a source that has a more robust power supply in it. Not more volts output, but a larger supply. But I don't know why. But it sounds better than a very similar (moon d100 v moon d300) source with a smaller power supply. I can't say for sure but I think the power supply might be largely responsible for a more natural, noticeably fuller, less lean sound. It has me thinking that everything in a system effects how that passive works out well or not. To a larger degree than a system with a active. So maybe after you get the full signal to the amp with the least amount of electronics in the path of it, it can show it's magic.