Frequently it’s just that the passive preamp sections usually included in the DACs don’t have sufficient output to fully drive the amp it’s hooked up to. As always, it comes down to proper system matching.
@soix Thanks for your reply -- I think that's as good an explanation as I'm likely to find. The voltage level of the DAC output may be in the right range, but it can't generate enough current to properly drive the amp. I do own a preamp (Parasound 2100), but I thought it was a weak link, so I'd be better off without it. Sounds like I may want to keep it around for a while.