Is my preamp useless?

So you feel you know his "true motive"? Profit? possible I would say(you can't substain a business without a profit). Or how about he honestly believes in what he chooses to build because he thinks it's a better sonic path. I imagine those customers who prefer to buy an active do so for improving their home audio sound quality, just a thought.I'd give Nelson Pass more credit for his commercial decisions than your conclusions. Build a product you genuinely believe in,do it right and the market sucesss will hopefully follow. It would seem he'd have these priorities in order.

The OP has way too much gain as he has to lower the PSA volume (which could then be bit stripping), but is also in the negative volume on the BAT volume, which means it's not pre-amplifying but de-amplifying, which a total waste of source signal strength. It's like putting attenuators networks on a MC cartridge and then having to amplifying again, noise and all.

What the OP should do is to listen to his PSA direct into his Cary amps as this has perfect impedance and voltage match.
Then see if he can at least equal or better this by putting an active preamp or passive preamp in the signal path.

Cheers George

So why this public statement from him (again below), and it is in direct reference to what the OP is experiencing, TOO MUCH GAIN EVERYWHERE.
He has a prefect match with the PSA direct into his Cary's and eliminating all that active preamp gain. And I bet my life that the PSA has a beefier output stage than the BAT tube preamp has, so it should drive even better.

" Nelson Pass,
We’ve got lots of gain in our electronics. More gain than some of us need or want. At least 10 db more.
Think of it this way: If you are running your volume control down around 9 o’clock, you are actually throwing away signal level so that a subsequent gain stage can make it back up.
Routinely DIYers opt to make themselves a “passive preamp” - just an input selector and a volume control.
What could be better? Hardly any noise or distortion added by these simple passive parts. No feedback, no worrying about what type of capacitors – just musical perfection.
And yet there are guys out there who don’t care for the result. “It sucks the life out of the music”, is a commonly heard refrain (really - I’m being serious here!). Maybe they are reacting psychologically to the need to turn the volume control up compared to an active preamp."

Cheers George

George,
I happen to agree with your assessment of the OP's predicament, too much system gain. I definitely feel that passive preamps have their role and can also be very effective as the right solutions for certain systems. Furthermore I believe that in some systems Passive is the way to go, you have to try it and listen. No doubt that Nelson pass appreciates these certain situations himself. My point is that he would not take time to build actives if he felt they had no sonic advantages for many listeners. I would love the opportunity for Nelson Pass to share his thoughts on the merits of passive vs active preamps and why he chooses to build very high level actives.
Charles,

Mr. Pass must in fact believe his best effort active preamps sound best. He must believe that. He is charging 10 of thousands for his best preamp effort and he advertises it as the best.

Integrity is also important here. I assume he has integrity and actually believes his mega dollar designs are his best sonic effort. If he felt a passive was best, surely he would spend as much time, money and effort designing a SOTA passive.

An active preamp is no more needed than a fine meal at an upscale restaurant. A simple piece of toast and an apple will take care of ones hunger without the need for an elaborate culinary effort. Sure, a passive is all that is needed. We get it. Gain blah, blah.....

I want to experience a delicious sonic event and I know this is extravagant. I know my active preamp is elaborate and beyond what is needed to play good music. But, I want to indulge and experience something beyond what is merely needed.

Mr. Pass is an electronics Master Chef and I have to believe he and many other audio Master Chefs design with a passion for the best. Master Chefs don't create merely for profit, no they create to deliver an unforgettable experience.

I do not believe companies and individuals making top dollar active preamps are doing so knowing that a $500 passive is just as good and all that is needed. Nor do they do it to just make money.

Integrity is at play here. What about the ads and sales materials these individuals and companies put out saying it is the best sounding and their best effort. Are they also now lying? Integrity. No, I don't really think so.
I think they have genuine passion and creativity for their products and the experiences they deliver to us.