High end stereo preamps? Worth it?

The comments about additional pieces can only degrade and digital volume controls are all that is needed are just for those systems where they tried it and liked it. I have done everything from using the tape out of a Superphon basic back in the day to bypass the analog volume controls to switching the digital vs analog of the Mytek in and out to using the MSB with its resistor ladder array. It all depends on the surrounding equipment and how they interact. Currently the MSB dac goes into Atmasphere MP-3 with NOS tubes and into either RM200 or Marsh A400s or hotrodded Acoustat TNT200, all balanced connections. Even then, the power still gums up the works some days. Oh well, when it is good it is really sweet! So in the end, you just have to try it to see if it helps!

The breakpoint where the price of a preamp can no longer be justified is probably around $2k or so.  Anything over that, you will not hear the difference :-)

Hey @cakyol , where were you 20 years ago?  If I had known about the $2K limit on preamps back then, I would have saved a lot of money!

@mitch2 +1.   I could have retired last year! 

My solution was Lyngdorf. No need for an upstream DAC. After years of SS and tube pre/power this is by far the best solution I found. My goal has always been to find the amplification system that acts like the proverbial wire with gain. Adding no sound characteristic of its own. The Lyngdorf is remarkably closer to that than any other hardware I've ever owned or auditioned. Even more remarkably, it's analog inputs are just as clean. You will hear what's upstream. If you like second order distortion, use a tube phono preamp. In fact not having to invest thousands in a DAC will allow you better upstream devices. Win-Win.