Best Preamp - NO preamp... (?)

@georgehifi  +1
Since I opened this thread almost 2 years ago, I have had the chance to audition a few other preamps in the loop, just to amuse my audiophile friends who insisted 'But you haven't heard XYZ preamp yet... it will take your system to another league...'
These included the PS Audio BHK signature preamp, and top-of-the-line ARC and CJ, among a few less known brands, mostly >$10K units, all with rave reviews by leading magazines, and in this forum...
The $6K PS Audio BHK signature was the only one that came close to having no preamp at all, but still a clear second best.
All but 2 (one who uses only an analog source, and one who will never admit to be wrong) of these skeptics, that brought their 'holy grail' preamps for audition, ended up selling them shortly thereafter, and getting the PS Audio DSD DAC with Bridge II, and the DMP transport as a digital source... ;-) 

Yes ami thousands spent on these, and owners are very afraid they are going the way of the dodo bird. Like a someone else you guys have over there.

https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.205675140.2343/flat,1000x1000,075,f.u1.jpg

Funny you mentioned PS Audio BHK signature preamp. Paul McGowan was in the staunch anti active preamp brigade, and all for going direct.
That was right up until he released info that he was bringing out the, PS Audio BHK signature preamp, don’t suppose sales and the mighty $$$$ had anything to do with his massive turnaround????

Cheers George

Yep @georgehifi ... No one knows, but I doubt it, as Paul McGowan is one of the rare, brutally honest, no BS guys I've had the pleasure of knowing in this business. He was not ashamed to admit in the PS Audio forums, that a $10 Chinese made Amazon HDMI cable bettered his $400 PS Audio silver I2S cable. I bought that cable, and he was right... I'm still using it today.
And we need to remember that their setup is not the same as mine.
They tested the BHK preamp driving their solid state BHK power amps.
I use a flea-power Yamamoto A08S SET tube amplifier, which might happen to be a better match for the direct output of the DSD DAC than a solid state amp. 
It could also be that my speakers, a set of $6K Zu Audio Druids Mk V, don't reveal what the $50K Infinity IRS-V do (or the other way around?).
And yet... it might be the $$$, or just him giving ultimate respect for Mr. Bascom H. King. :-)

The $6K PS Audio BHK signature was the only one that came close to having no preamp at all, but still a clear second best.

Still in your own words, with the same source it came a clear second to going direct. With that $6k saving, you could throw that at the source, imagine what you’d have then ???

Cheers George