Connecting a DAC directly to an amp?

tube preamp allows ease of functionality between avr and preamp.

WHAT!!!
If you can use a tube preamp between the dac and amp, then you can use the dac direct and use it’s volume control without the tube preamp.
Which is your thread title  "Connecting a DAC directly to an amp?"  

Cheers George

Or! if you need more input switching feed the dac into a switch box and what ever else you have like these.
https://www.goldpt.com/sw4.html
https://www.goldpt.com/sw2x.html
https://www.goldpt.com/sw2x.html

Cheers George
 

These switches look really good and credible. Don’t look like they can be controlled via remote.

so if I only stream, need for a preamp seems totally unnecessary if using a switch.  Vast complexity and expense and value and need for a preamp has never been fully resolved in my tiny mind.

thanks George. Big potential for this type of product for those wanting theatre bypass.

Yes, go without preamp and see if it works for you. 

Since I got rid of my analog gear and only have digital sources, I got rid of a newer Mcintosh preamp and went directly from my ps audio ds dac into a ps audio bhk amp, actually the sq is better. Quiet with a lot of headroom. I have attenuation turned on so my volume on the dac is anywhere from 85 to 100 using balanced cables. If you need more headroom, turning attenuation off, my volume is around 40-50