Dumb question......why do you need a preamp?

An integrated can be enough. It depends on what you want and your budget. Generally speaking you’ll get more out of separates. 

RE: active vs. passive - I’d like counter that a passive “preamp” can be better. It sure has been a revelation in my system. (Although, I’m curious about trying a different active at some point.)

Food for thought.

Ref.: https://www.stereophile.com/content/brilliant-corners-13-emia-remote-autoformer-and-listening-master-jazzman-jerome-sabbagh

An integrated can be good if you want to have a pile of gear between your speakers or run long speaker cables.

@skinzy

Any dac needs to emit its analogue signalat preamp output levels. Your experience matches my own. Obviously if you use a digital attenuator at minimum output levels you are throwing too many bits away. Using a high quality analogue attenuator built into a high quality dac‘s analogue stage -excluding very rare instances of major impedance mismatches- IS EQUIVALENT TO USING A PRE! while saving a set of cable transmissions with their associated losses and distortions, i.e. superior

I have had equipment combinations that prevented getting full power out of the amplifier because the input signal was too low. The primary advantage of an active preamp other than source selection and equalization is assuring there is enough level to get full power from the amplifier. So while not necessary in every case, in some cases it is.

For my computer system its a minimalist DAC/preamp and Class D 500 WPC amp driving my Ohm Walsh 2000s with a subwoofer output driving SVS PC2000 subs. It does all I need it to do and very well indeed. The levels are matched well enough I have no shortage of loudness available and its decent quality sound too. Good enough for who its for. :)