Are higher end preamps worth the investment when you are only streaming Tidal & Spotify ?

@puffbojie 

The Dirac gives you the option to take a picture of FR graph which I always do but have no idea where it goes.

Maybe a pictures folder? I use windows so that's my best guess. You will need to upload the pic to your virtual system (see mine as an example) and from their you can copy and paste it into a post like this.

Would love anyone’s insight on what that graph represents once I get it posted.  

I don't use Dirac but here is an example from my streamers ARC room correction. The software offers you a choice of target response curves and you choose one. Then you get a before and after comparison. On the left axis is the decibel level, the bottom axis are the frequencies. The software attempts to match your in room response as closely as possible to the response curve. DSP can cut frequencies that are too high above the curve, but can't lift the frequencies that are below it, the bass. For that you need to try room treatments, moving your speakers away from or toward the wall, etc.

Uh- yeah. The better the pre amp and the rest of the system the better it all sounds generally speaking (not withstanding that Spotify is pretty limited). I stream exclusively and use Quboz via Roon (gave up on Tidal due to being unable to opt of of so many "E" rated tunes via the Roon / Tidal interface). Quboz sounds great and the better the gear, the better it sounds. 

@puffbojie the ARC preamps you mention are very different from each other. The LS28 is very close tonally and performance-wise to the LS36.5, but the LS36.5 DM version beats it in just about every way. With the right tubes, both preamps can be very harmonically rich while still being quite transparent and resolving. The REF series from ARC are less harmonically rich and more clean sounding, focusing on resolution first. Given where your system is, I believe the LS36.5 or LS28 will be a better fit than the Ref 5.

The Modwright LS-100 is good too, but more colored with more slightly rounded edges than the LS36.5. 

I basically asked the same question about my Eversolo going direct to my Mac amp versus going thru C2300. I got different answers from obviously it would sound better to changing tubes etc. For me, even if going direct sounds better, I would still keep the preamp because it ties in my other components. Digital streaming sounds so good now if one is on a budget, it’s worthwhile considering saving money from buying a preamp and using the savings on better speakers. 

 Very good question…!

I ran my DCS Rossini straight into my ARC 160s and then added my ARC REF 6SE.

Wow….! A massive improvement…! Not subtle. Big noticeable difference in detail, sound stage, openness…. Bass…!