Best preamp is no preamp: always true?

For what it's worth, I've found my Levinson 390S running directly into my CAT JL-3's to sound much better without my ARC Ref 2 Mk II. Of course, the 390S DOES have the same analog volume control found in Levinson preamps.

active preamp. The only direct CD connection I have heard and liked was a $6K Wadia. For that you can buy a great CD and pre while maintaining flexibility.

A passive preamp will often sound better than an active but that is only because most active pre's are poor.When you discover a really good active pre-like the Suprateks,it becomes obvious that the preamp is actually more important than the power amp.You can never achieve good sound from a system using a good power amp and an average pre but you can get great sound from a good pre and an average power amp.

JT

I tried a Placette RVC, with .5 meter Audioquest Jaguar cables to my Mcintosh MC 2000 amp.
It lacked dynamics. The music lacked life. My Supratek Grange, is 1,000 times better.

I have also done the expermient with hooking my cd player directly up to the amp. A pre amp to me just seems to pull together a more musical presentation.

Sugarbrie, you have a Creek integrated and an Onkyo receiver. So where's the preamp????