Are Pre-Amps necessary?

When it comes to gear, speakers first then a preamp, then a source. I like digital and analog. Everything else rotates, power amps, TT, DAC, RtR, FM, Streaming, SACD, CD, Cassette, Karaoke :-) 

I don't use a preamp on my Victrola, BUT If I could figure a way I would..

Regards

A lot has to do with your amp. With my Gryphon Mephisto directly from my Emm Labs DV2, too edgy. To much of everything. With the Gryphon Pandora Pre, a much more refined presentation. Call it texture, more musical, all the familiar adjectives. For me in my system it was an easy call. Believe me, I wanted it to work directly from the DV2. I can see in some systems where directly can work but it depends on several factors.

Cerrot phrased it nicely "It gave flesh to the musical bones" Well said...

As mentioned, this has had a lot of coverage here.  Assuming you are talking about a line stage and not a preamp with phono, then there are several functions.

• source switching
• volume control
• voltage gain
• impedance control
• interconnect control

Assuming your source has sufficient voltage, then passive units, or DACs with onboard volume control, can get the first three done.  Impedances can be mostly matched through your source/drive unit and amplifier selections, and short connecting cables can help with the interconnect control issue.  However, even with short cables and more than sufficient voltage, many here find that an active or at least buffered stage improves body, tone, and drive so, at least in some systems, sufficient voltage alone is not cutting it.  I have tried multiple passive units, and even a DAC with onboard VC and a 4V output, but always come back to a buffered unit sounding clearly better to me.  Borrow a passive unit and make your own decision about what sounds best to you, in your system.

There is a Youtube video from PS Audio out there. John M. seems to espouse using a preamp than not.

As I am using streaming, I really need to try using my streaming app (Roon) vs my preamp.
Though I expect the result to be much like 'Salt to taste'.
B