@thieliste --
Poster @douglas_schroeder is certainly right about you being the only one who can make the call, and that either option (DAC/preamp-poweramp vs. DAC-preamp-poweramp) could appeal to you the most.
That being the case though I’d go the distance to let simplicity have its day, and invest the money in a great DAC with a quality analogue output stage and PSU - as well as dedicated build-in preamp section and volume control, and then go skip the (thought of a) separate hardware preamp altogether, definitely if your source is digital only. It’s going to save you money (not least in light of the fact that, as I see it, for a separate preamp to be sufficiently transparent it’s going to be seriously expensive), and I’d even recommend you find a well-kept, used reference DAC/preamp and save yourself some further dough.
Some may find that buying the latest of the latest DAC tech is paramount, but that’s bull, I find. A great DAC/preamp build/developed 5 years ago (or more) is a great DAC/preamp today, and bought used would most likely exceed the performance of a new (and, for arguments sake) similarly priced mid-level, wet paint DAC unit of today. I'd even claim that reference level today vs. 5+ years ago with DAC's is dueling in subtleties. What’s particularly important here is the care that has been invested in the output stage, PSU and volume control section - not only because of its intended use directly into the poweramp - and mid-level, even today, has to cut corners somewhere, and mentioned areas are usually where they’re doing exactly that. Moreover, a quality piece of hardware lasts a long(er) time. Just my $0.02..
Poster @douglas_schroeder is certainly right about you being the only one who can make the call, and that either option (DAC/preamp-poweramp vs. DAC-preamp-poweramp) could appeal to you the most.
That being the case though I’d go the distance to let simplicity have its day, and invest the money in a great DAC with a quality analogue output stage and PSU - as well as dedicated build-in preamp section and volume control, and then go skip the (thought of a) separate hardware preamp altogether, definitely if your source is digital only. It’s going to save you money (not least in light of the fact that, as I see it, for a separate preamp to be sufficiently transparent it’s going to be seriously expensive), and I’d even recommend you find a well-kept, used reference DAC/preamp and save yourself some further dough.
Some may find that buying the latest of the latest DAC tech is paramount, but that’s bull, I find. A great DAC/preamp build/developed 5 years ago (or more) is a great DAC/preamp today, and bought used would most likely exceed the performance of a new (and, for arguments sake) similarly priced mid-level, wet paint DAC unit of today. I'd even claim that reference level today vs. 5+ years ago with DAC's is dueling in subtleties. What’s particularly important here is the care that has been invested in the output stage, PSU and volume control section - not only because of its intended use directly into the poweramp - and mid-level, even today, has to cut corners somewhere, and mentioned areas are usually where they’re doing exactly that. Moreover, a quality piece of hardware lasts a long(er) time. Just my $0.02..