Are Pre-Amps necessary?

Your personal feeling when you listen without preamp, or with passive preamp is just that, a personal perspective.

Sorry not just personal (subjective), but technical (objective) just as much if not more so.

Cheers George

George, I am very aware that nothing that I say (or anybody else, on that matter) will change your views.
However, as stated by many here (including the ones who thinks as you) there are diferent opinions, expirinces or tastes (called them as you like, even 'objective' or 'subjective') that will differ than yours.
I would not dismiss any of those  just because they are not the same as mine ( or yours in this case) perspective.

In my opinion,sound is as subjective as taste,or sight. Isn't beauty in the eye, or ear of the beholder?  

Everything you own, every piece in the hifi chain, is designed with technical EE laws, equations and knowledge, like I said it takes both, but more so the tech side, and if it wasn’t I suggest you don’t go near it.
Different if it were a painting with no math’s or EE science involved.

Cheers George

You're right. God bless and enjoy!