Preamps built Into DACs

In that price range? Not much.

Hk_fan, in the case of digital domain volume control this is certainly not the case - you do in fact eliminate the "preamp circuitry" entirely. I don't know precisely how Empirical Audio's and Weiss volume control work, but I suspect they also eliminate circuitry and implement VC through a fundamentally different architecture.

So I ditched a $10K 2 box preamp (Modwright 36.5 LS/PS) in favor of a digital volume control, simple because taking it out sounded better to me.

Here is another consideration. Price / performance. Let's say you have a 4K DAC with a build in volume control, and you have $10K in the kitty for an upgrade. You can either buy a $10K preamp and put it behind your DAC (throw in some money for cabling too), or you can buy a $14K new DAC with volume control. In my experience the SQ improvement per $ of the DAC upgrade will be substantially higher than getting the preamp.

Again, I am talking from experience not theory. I recently spend $10K on upgrading my DAC and have fiddled with various preamps in the $5 - $10K range, and there is no comparison. Unless you have analog sources, preamps are dead end technology, and will eventually be replaced by the VC build into DACs. These DACs will also serve as the digital switching hubs. Some are integrating music servers, some will have digital room correction, cross-overs etc.

I think it comes down to the type of sound one likes. Both are ways to build a system and they yield different results - sound of music. As the post above states our actual experiences differ because we all like and are pleased by different sounding systems.

Edorr,
You have found a solution that works best for you and that`s a good thing.I`ll assume we are all basing our choices on 'actual' listening experinces.I don`t believe top quality preamps are "dead end technology" or will ever be,in fact they seem to be improving.

As long as there`re listeners who hear and appreciate the superior sound quality these preamps offer there will exist a market for them(this won`t include you obviously).
Grannyring summed up the sonic differences very well, I imagine we have similar hearing and listening priorities.Edorr, there`re certainly others who hear things as you also.

For those who say the improved body,tone and dynamics is a coloration, well all I know is this is much closer to what I always hear with live performances(for what ever the reason may be). Edorr you may find your approach is closer to what you hear live as well. At the end of the day we all choose what we feel sounds most right.The lean,clean,thinner sound(less tone and body) is far less realistic and convincing for me.I`ve made my choice.

Edorr, one look at our respective systems would make it clear we have certainly taken different paths to find our individual sonic bliss.
Best Regards,