Are Pre-Amps necessary?


With all the advances in digital sources, do we still need a $5,000 pre-amp?

All we need is a switching device and maybe a Phono preamp/RIAA curve device.

Tone controls are another thing of the past. Room correction has taken over if that is something you want to use.

Thoughts?
vanson1

You have to take what’s said with a grain of salt anyone that has $$$ to be made out of something. (and no I don’t own Lightspeed Attenuator anymore) and when I did I still always said going direct was better still.

It’s said Paul backed MQA to use it, and then pulled the pin just as quickly when it lost cred.

Cheers George
I can only share my experience from what my ears have told me after experimenting on this matter. I've tried my Lumin T2 with Leedh volum control into my JC1+, I've then tried a JC2 as a pre with same source but with disabled Leedh before I went with ARC LS28 witch is where I'm at now. I can assure you that even my grandmother could tell there is a difference. I will not go into discussions if sq is coloured or not with pre but I know that I will prefer a pre any day, any week.... 
chorus670 posts10-14-2021 11:41pmNever heard a pre that "Improved" the SQ compared to "No Pre".

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WEll true and not so true.
My Jadis DPL , 20+ yrs old, bought last year , now have Mundorf EVO caps and Takman Rey resistors + running Tele in the AX and AU, Tele in the cd buffer out, 
I'd say when I put in a Tele I note a   nice  nuance vs a  RCA, Bugle Boy AU  and AX in the slot.
So there must be something said for a  nuance of the pre's imput. 
But if the Shanling, Cayin or Jadis DAC, any of the 3 hada   vol pot,, I'd dump the DPL linestage.
Its really not needed and adds too much gain in the circuit for my 95db sens + 91db sens dual WBers.
Bottom line. 
Linestage/pre are not a  must have, neither a  should have.
If you find a  tube DAC /Tube player with a  vol pot, go for it and sell your linestage. 


Just looked overa  few DAC's, that I like, None have vol pot.
I have to cancel my above opinion,. Linestage are necessary as now you get more opportunities to pick which CD player/DAC you want.
So yes linestage are valid and necessary.
Thanks for all the great discussion.

The collective knowledge of this forum is fantastic.