Who needs a Preamp??

@ atmasphere,
I have to agree with you on the bass. After using a passive for 9 years, I can say with experience, that bass is pretty light with a passive. My current preamp has a bass that the passive simply could not match. Dynamics is something that the current preamp has in spades. I loved the sound of my passive, but my current preamp is something else. 

I am a bass fanatic, in both substance, and detail. I hear nothing that suggests compression, lack of weight or heft, or any negatives, spoken about here. This subject will never go anywhere, as I have mentioned many times before....there is no right or wrong...it is up to the individual to what he / she, likes. I will never use a preamp ( an additional gain stage ) again. It is agreed, that a preamp does add " something ", as " additional " punch, warmth, and certainly, ime, colorations ( that some might find to be euphonically enjoyable, whatever ), but I have enjoyed my recordings, more, currently, than in the past, and " this ", is what it is all about. This will be my last post on this thread, as I agree with kalali........So, to everyone....Enjoy ! MrD.

I used to think no preamp is better, until I heard a Backert rhumba 1.2., this preamp will tell you, you need one, this preamp has a huge soundstage, with amazing 3D, I tried to buy their discontinued rhumba model or demo? All gone.

I think you have to look at the evolution of the home music reproduction system to understand the Pre-amp's role.  It is the result of the need for a single point of control and access. It was about control as in signal path switching, balance and 'tone' alterations, level setting,  It also provided a cost effective and systemically benign location for an RIAA equalizer and some additional gain for it.  In those days the production of music sources and the recording technology combined with early component left a lot to be desired. The need to 'balance' the early stereo effect was present along with the need for the classic Base and Treble personalization of the listening experience - It all resided in the Pre-amp.

Times have changed a bit.