Tube DACs

@axo0oxa You miss the point. As the thread above has clarified, a tube DAC (or any DAC) with volume control can be used as a preamp in itself. So the OP asks, is you have a tube DAC and like tube sound, why bother using it simply to feed a tube preamp? The overwhelming answer is (a) results are better running any DAC, tube or SS, through a preamp rather than direct to amp; (b) patrons of tube sound prefer tube DACs with their tube preamps, and there is no reason NOT to use this combination as most devices are compatible.

@hickamore I believe this is what I was responding to which is what he wrote:

"So, question: am I wrong to suppose that pairing random tube DAC A with random tube preamp B is a bad, or at least a silly idea, absent a known synergy?"

Pairing a tube DAC with a Tube Preamp a bad thing, so I responded to that.

The problem is the output stage of a DAC is usually just a buffer, it doesn't have gain like a preamp. There are tube preamps out there that incorporate a DAC, then it has a real tube preamp.

Review of the LAB 12  DAC 1 Reference 

I have had this DAC since June , with the option to trade up in a year to something 2 X the price.    This is a great DAC,  so good that I am going to hang onto it for a while.