As with everything else in life, it depends. If you go the no preamp route you have to be very careful. The most important factor is now mating the source properly with the amp. Source output impedance and amp input impedance and sensitivity are paramount. The newer transformer based "passive" preamps are the way to go. Impedance matching is accomplished. Once these issues of impedance and sensitivity have been addressed then I believe no preamp is the way to go. With the transformer passives, dynamics and bass frequencies are preserved with the added benefit of the usual gains in transparency that passives are known for.
preamp vs. no-preamp
Hi guys, I would like to know your opinions regarding the classic question (which also has been posted many times in this forum, I know, I know) whether or not a preamp is needed for a good (= musical sound). You see, if you can delete the preamp and connect the DAC into the poweramp, you can save lots of money, sometimes up to $ 15,000 for a Conrad-Johnson ART (this is off course an extreme example). The money you have spent on the preamp can be used for buying a better source or amplifier (mono's?). So theoretically if you don't have a preamplifier you can improve the sound reproduction by: deleting redundant audio circuitry and interconnect cables, upgrading the quality of you source, poweramplifier or speakers.
My personal experience is that without a preamplifier the sound is becoming thin and uninvolving, but I know there are audiophiles who don't have a preamp in their audio system.
My personal experience is that without a preamplifier the sound is becoming thin and uninvolving, but I know there are audiophiles who don't have a preamp in their audio system.