Should I eliminate my preamp?

As a long time (>20 year) user of and believer in passive line stages / removing active line stages, the answer is a big "it depends."   I.e., it depends on the output impedance of your source, the overall quality of the output stage (including both volume control mechanism and current delivery) of your source, the capacitance of your interconnects, the input impedance and sensitivity of your amplifier, and (of lesser importance) the sensitivity of your speakers.  Beyond that, I don't see enough information about your components and system to give a more definite recommendation.  I own an older Oppo (BDP-83se), but don't believe it has output volume control; however, my general impression is that I don't think the output stage is of the quality that I would necessarily prefer a direct drive sound.  By contrast, some of the aftermarket Oppos that significantly upgrade the output stage are suitable candidates for direct drive to the amplifier.

It's always been said by audio designers as a gauge of how good a preamp is since the mid 1900's, when separates (preamp & poweramp)  entered into audio, that saying is:
  
"The best preamp should sound like a piece of wire"
  
ie: a like a direct source to amp connection.  


Cheers George   

Why not go to a high quality integrated amp and forget this whole discussion?  I went to a 300B amp and I've been very happy with the results.  Before that I had Maggy 20.1 panels, Manley Neo Classic 250 tube amps, and a Prima Luna Dialogue tube preaamp.  My source was a Berkeley DAC (with volume control). For grins I connected my Berkeley DAC directly to the Manleys and I was shocked that I preferred that sound to the preamp!  But I like the 300B sound even better.

The advice given is good.   If your inputs are limited to one and that is the digital input with variable output, you have nothing to lose by using it instead of a preamp, unless the digital volume control were noisy for some reason.

I have one preamp, original cost $5000 (which would be around $10K today) sitting in a third system, just because it has a very good dual volume control with discrete high quality resistors and a switch. The fancy dual phono stages etc. remain unused.

Wonder if someone has done an A/B between something like that and a CD player digital volume control.......

Never get rid of your pre amp , You want the best ? Go with BAT Balanced Audio Tech.