Is no preamp really better that a good preamp?

Rustler, if your satisfied with your current power amp, I want you to look at the addition of a preamp as talorying the sound to your liking, bringing out the best qualities from your power amp, both complementing each other. Some power amps need the drive to sound their best. A direct connection sometimes can prove to be very trying in the long run, not very musical. If this direct connection can be proven to be true as more desirable then all of us need to dispense with the preamp and you might build your system around something that only you might like. If you can figure out a way to dispense with the power amp then I need to get a new hobby.

Some power amps need the drive to sound their best.

Phd, Please give the OP some preamp examples that would better the drive that his PS Audio dac gives direct into his amps?
And his PS Audio Dac is not a passive volume control on it's output!!
Cheers George

Yes! Well, it took a design expert, but finally a great answer. Driving the inter-connect cable---what a concept! Maybe another reason why the sound of any given cable is so system-dependent---it's interacting with the volume control in the pre-amp of every system it's put in.

Autoformers control the cable by optimizing the impedance relationship as one attenuates the signal. And most systems, even phono, don't need gain.

A fair amount of care must be used, however, in matching sources and amplifiers (the coupling capacitor mentioned above).

Well, so far 2 of the predictable sellers have arrived.
Peter should shamelessly be along soon............