Stanwine: in response to your "Ultimately are you saying that a good two channel preamp despite inferior DAC's will produce a better result?"
NO, I would say that if you are using the DAC power of your surround processor, adding a preamp might give you a loss of resolution and make you unhappy with your CDP if connected directly to the preamp...
Like I said you have such a revealing system that you might have to do a combo of changes to get something better.
Or you if you are using a Hometheater Pass through ready preamp you could still run your 598 DVD into your meridian and just run the balanced outs (left/right) to the new preamp and then you keep the resolution you currently have, but add a little air and soundstage to your system. Or you could uprade your processor as Ramy suggested... sounds like the 861 level is in another ballpark like the Theta Casablanca III is (especially with Extreme DAC's). Ultimately the DAC's in the 568.2 will be your limiting factor (your direct hookup also give you DVD-A and is the way to get the most out of your system)
Clear as mud right...
Chris
NO, I would say that if you are using the DAC power of your surround processor, adding a preamp might give you a loss of resolution and make you unhappy with your CDP if connected directly to the preamp...
Like I said you have such a revealing system that you might have to do a combo of changes to get something better.
Or you if you are using a Hometheater Pass through ready preamp you could still run your 598 DVD into your meridian and just run the balanced outs (left/right) to the new preamp and then you keep the resolution you currently have, but add a little air and soundstage to your system. Or you could uprade your processor as Ramy suggested... sounds like the 861 level is in another ballpark like the Theta Casablanca III is (especially with Extreme DAC's). Ultimately the DAC's in the 568.2 will be your limiting factor (your direct hookup also give you DVD-A and is the way to get the most out of your system)
Clear as mud right...
Chris