Passive preamp

My worry is that your system is good as your weakest link.  Which might be the schiit.  I'm using a Starkrimson Ultra class D amp (which I just added), and Dynaudio Heritage Specials as well as Innous Zen mk3 and Bricasti M3 DAC. I was hoping that a 'budget' preamp might work in passive mode.  But I'm having second thoughts now.

Excellent idea to try the M3 as the pre going directly to my amp.  I would at least have something to compare against the passive pre. Unfortunately, I do have more than the one source (turntable and other) otherwise I would stay with the M3.  Happy to notify in this thread what my results but but it'll be a couple of weeks before I have things set up.  Cheers!

I did try using the Bricasti M3 as my preamp, and DAC and it worked a beautifully. The sound and dynamic range is really nice, don't have the remote control though.   Then I put my Freya S back in line running passive, and to tell you the truth, I cannot tell a difference at all.  Maybe I'm just getting too old to know.  I did get the solid state Freya S instead of the Freya + (tubes) since it was my intention to run this Passive anyway .  I may stick with the Schitt for the time being until something else comes up.