The future of preamps

I'd wager whether "Bit stripping" of the signal with 24-bit digital dithered volume controls isn't mostly of academic order (32-bit dittos wouldn't, in this regard, pose any in-use limitiations, at all) - that is, where it is stated it's very often based on a theoretical non-listening experience foundation. Only high sensitive speakers and high-gain combinations could tend to pose a possible sonic limitation here, and highly sensitive speakers is not what overflows the market as is.. For what it's worth my own setup includes moderately sensitive speakers (~93dB), and it sounds terrific at lower volumes with the digital volume attenuation named above.

If for whatever reason one doesn't like the final sonic outcome where digital attenuation is involved without a separate hardware preamp, the bit stripping (i.e.: truncation) is by all accounts not a factor as much, or at all as the totality of this implementation; if one has carefully tuned a setup through the use of a hardware preamp the negation of this preamp (leaving in its place a software-based digital ditto) could easily tilt the sound in a direction reflecting back negatively on the preamp as a source of more or less outspoken coloration and synergy-effect, than what is an inherent limitation of its digital stand-in solution. I'd rather rid my setup of a hardware preamp so long as the analog output stage of the source can be made to drive the poweramp suitable (which is certainly possible) - hereby doing the same as the hardware preamp, yet without an extra hardware component and set of cables.

@ Phusis, Hi, Are you useing a 32 bit source direct to amp?

another situation is that I cannot use typical tube pre-amps or sources direct to amp, or I would have to activate the coupling capacitors that are not active inside the amp to protect is from tube unstableness!

Audiolabyrinth, best I can make out, this is some form of myth that solid state people seem to transmit. Its not actually true.

In the case of our preamp, its output is direct-coupled and servo-controlled. We've had people using it with all manner of solid state amps over the last 20 years; doesn't seem to be a problem. FWIW our MP-1 was the first balanced line preamp made. It can drive the Krell just fine.

Audiolabyrinth --

Hi, no my source (direct to poweramp) is 24-bit as described in reply no. 3 from above. I would gladly convert to a 32-bit source and digital volume control if it really meant providing that extra last "ounce" of insight, clarity, resolution, organic quality or whatever to the sonic presentation (most notably perhaps at lower volumes), and it is only a matter of time when this occurs rather than "if." Until this happens there is much to treasure with a (24-bit sourced) dithered volume control a la JRiver MC19. Several who have listened to my setup have - without in any way being lead by me to this observation - noted very positively the level of clarity, information, and "ingition" at lower levels, though I believe this could be an affect of the use of a compression driver with waveguide as well. Still, had the digital volume control here used been a limiting factor at especially lower levels it remains questionable whether reports of the very opposite had flourished as they did. It is not, as you can deduce from above, that I believe 24-bit sourced dithered digital volume controls to be flawless, but they are, many things being equal, extremely capable. And when a 32-bit source is finally implemented, bit depth and any associated thought of truncation would not be my concern at all.

I often wonder if labyrinth is simply a computer generated clown here for grins and giggles.
If so, it works.