How much do I need to spend to get a preamp that sounds better than no preamp?

XLR balanced connection offers better common - mode noise rejection and improved signal quality over the RCA connection. If your preamplifier, power amplifier, or active speakers offer XLR balanced inputs, you may use a pair of XLR audio cables to connect the ******** DAC’s XLR Balanced Audio Output to the XLR input of your device.

@phomchick No, there is no way to tell from the above whether the unit supports the balanced standard or not. Here is the standard in a nutshell:

1) pin 1 is ground, pin 2 non-inverted, pin 3 inverted (the latter two are reversed in Europe)
2) the signal travels in a twisted pair usually within a shielded cable.
3) Ground is ignored by both output and subsequent input; it is used for shielding only.

4) The output is capable of driving low impedances of 2000 ohms or so without distortion or loss of bandwidth (in particular in the bass).
Of these four points, the latter two aspects are generally ignored by high end audio. This causes the cables to exhibit artifacts where they otherwise would not.

Here’s an easy test, which many balanced components fail. If you connect to an output XLR, using only pins 1 and 2 and get a signal with no hum or buzz, the standard is not being supported. This is because the return circuit for pin 2 is ground rather than pin 3. If the unit supports the standard, there won’t be a circuit between ground and pin 2 or 3, and with no circuit you get a buzz.

Back to the original question from the op - The BD105 is sort of a streamer DAC plus a digital preamp right? I am curious what quality of digital music the op is playing? if its high res - perhaps the digital volume control is more forgiving to the overall sound quality? What if a lower resolution music like spotify or apple music is played on BD105->Amp setup? Just curious! As someone else mentioned - to a newbie this is all good learning for me - but ultimately its whatever his ears tell him thats the truth!

since the volume control (THE MASTER!!) has to be before the active gain stage in order to prevent overload. So the noise floor of a tube line stage if well-designed will be a constant. So the noise floor of a tube line stage if well-designed will be a constant.

This is total BS, yes the "Master Volume" is in front of the active gain stage and should be at or around 2-3 o’clock for normal listening, 5 o’clock or nearly full for loud, and 12 o'clock for low listening.
If the active gain stage has a "gain control" as in this case, and has it’s gain increased so then the "Master Volume" is at 9 o’clock for normal, this will increase noise, distortion and whatever other non linear distortions the active stage has, sent to the amp, hence to the speakers.

Cheers George

since the volume control (THE MASTER!!) has to be before the active gain stage in order to prevent overload. So the noise floor of a tube line stage if well-designed will be a constant. So the noise floor of a tube line stage if well-designed will be a constant.

This is total BS, yes the "Master Volume" is in front of the active gain stage and should be at or around 2-3 o’clock for normal listening, 5 o’clock or nearly full for loud, and 12 o’clock for low listening.
If the active gain stage has a "gain control" as in this case, and has it’s gain increased so then the "Master Volume" is at 9 o’clock for normal, this will increase noise, distortion and whatever other non linear distortions the active stage has, sent to the amp, hence to the speakers.

Note: The words THE MASTER!! were added to my post after the fact.
George, your post here is incorrect. Clearly you don’t work with active line sections or you would know that. If anything, turning down the volume will cause the gain stage to have less noise. This is because the input is getting closer and closer to a dead short as the volume control is turned down. And we all know that an active gain stage is at its least noise level with the input shorted...

If you look at most active line sections, the balance and volume controls exist prior to the actual gain stage of the line section. It is very rare for the controls to be anywhere else!

Note: The words THE MASTER!! were added to my post after the fact.

I don’t care when it was added. As the "volume control" is always the "Master", just thought I’d drive it home to you.

Clearly you don’t work with active line sections or you would know that.

Of course I do, don’t be ignorant, if you increase the gain of an active stage you increase not just the signal what’s coming in but everything else including noise, rf ,hum any tube or transistor noise is also amplified when you add more gain to an active stage.

Cheers George