Analogue only preamp ideas? - no need for internal DAC!

So last couple of posts are basically saying preamps may be pointless.  Maybe a Simple standalone stereo bypass device without so many preampish wires so speakers don’t need to be directly between a dac and an amp (since amp connections are used by ht system)

makes you wonder what the heck a preamp is doing to the analogue signal on its way from a dac to the amp.  Sooo mysterious!

Possibly of interest, Emergingsoul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dAY7Bc--Ys

Thanks, watched good vid.

Paul, very smart and knows his Stuff, although he seems to always start out slow, meanders around and at the end of the journey, many a time, you don’t know where you end up. A brilliant marketeer. Keeping and prolongIng the mystery, ie. by limiting the completeness of answers to basic questions. After all, I think we all know that these products become woefully overpriced as those with cash ascend up a steep diminishing returns trail.

he didn’t focus on preamp basics in any real detail, Ie. the process of achieving sound separation, the need/processes for keeping the electrons quiet, maybe talking about how the signal is transformed in a more helpful manner, power supply interference issues, connector quality, value of installing very expensive components, etc.

still a nice vid that was helpful, but a need to learn more has not been satisfied.

@emergingsoul -- agree. I think it offers some information but it's not a textbook entry on the subject. I think you're right to see that there's a fair amount of "Paul personality" mixed in with information. I learned some from these, too: 
https://www.psaudio.com/askpaul/do-preamps-enhance-sound-quality/
https://www.psaudio.com/askpaul/do-we-need-preamplifiers/
https://www.psaudio.com/askpaul/understanding-differential-preamps/
https://www.psaudio.com/askpaul/why-are-preamps-expensive/
https://www.psaudio.com/askpaul/why-arent-passive-preamps-more-popular/

You got a great DAC and power amp. All you need is a good passive attenuator: top of the range is Wavac ATT-S but you‘ll equally get great results from -say a Modsquad in the second hand market