Value of a preamp?

For people going straight from their DAC to amplifier, you don't know what you're missing. It's been a huge difference for me in several iterations of my systems through the years.

@tonnesen - I only saw your comment now. Very nice system BTW. The Playback Designs player is unusual in using an analogue volume control, thus achieving volume reduction without throwing bits away. How it compares to a preamp of commensurate quality for your system could only be judged by listening - of course:))

@yoyoyaya 

Christiaan Punter has a nice piece on the value of preamps, even in a purely digital system, and a comparison of several preamps.  

@ddgtt Have you heard any of the Aries Cerat preamps, and any thoughts on how they compare to the Stern and the others you listed?

@Tonnesen - good article which correlates well with my own listening. In my own case, running analogue and digital sources necessitates a preamp anyway.

I've only heard the Aries Cerat in passing in an unfamiliar system (which didn't impress), but not in a comparative sense.  Every system I've heard with an Audionet preamp (and amps) is always great. And admittedly they were carefully curated systems.