Are Preamplifier’s Relevant Today or just a Hinderance with Digital Playback ?


I’m just curious,.I know from past experiences using a well designed preamplifier can and will make a difference however the computer audio crowd say different with the use of HQplayer with volume control including multiple filters and adjustments in OS mode using a preamplifier is blasphemy to some of them .

What’s your take on this subject? 
Thanks in advance.
128x128in_shore
it takes a heck of a DAC to have an analog section capable of robust drive and dynamics that a good preamp brings to the table-


Just about any good dac these days has an output stage equal to or even better than preamps especially tube preamps.
And you don't need anymore gain, we have more than enough in today's sources, use all the gain the source has, don't shunt it to ground, then make it back up again along with more noise and distortion added by a preamps gain stage. 
Cheers George
DAC is not accurate. DAA is proper. Dijitteral Analog Approximator. Clocking errors and jitter will forever be the distortion that, along with the irritation of odd order harmonics, keeps you forever on the merry-go-round. 
Stereo is an anti-social disaster perched on a little postage stamp in a large room because the rest is just waves and troughs. Put a Khorn in the corner run some tube gear and turntable and let the party roll, everyone gets a seat at the show even the cheap seats are good. George Harrison maintained until the day he died that you never heard Sgt. Peppers until you heard it in mono. 
@georgehifi,
we will have to disagree on that front.  my ears tell me otherwise and it isn't close.  
The existence of digital playback technology in a Music Reproduction System is not in any way, matter, or scope related to the need to a preamplifier in any meaningful, significant, or substantial way.  
+1,00000,000 very clearly said and to the point. clearthink .

I tend to over elaborate too much with technical reasons and it confuses some.

Always best to use as much as possible all of the sources output, for reasons of noise/hum/distortion/colorations regardless of what it is, even phono.

You don’t floor the accelerator on a super car (the source), yet keep your foot on the brake (the preamp) to get to the destination ( the power amp)

Cheers George