Using CD player without Preamp?

The gain of the analog output circuitry can be changed
under digital control.

Exactly! A Crystal digitally controlled resistor network volume control chip with
0.5 db SPL intervals costs around $10 and has excellent performance.
(Surprisingly this is actually an expensive item as far as electronics go...although
it is far cheaper than the front fascia of most amplifiers or the volume control
knob itsef!!!!)

Tduffy1,
I'm in the same situation you are - driving an amp directly from a CD player. In my experience only, I have compared the CD->AMP Vs CD->PRE->AMP combinations within my system using an Audio Aero Capitole MKII SE CD player, First Sound Presence Deluxe MKII preamp and Art Audio PX25 SET amp.

Here's what I found:
(A) CD->AMP
* more detailed, for example it was easier to distinguish the words a vocalist was singing and mids & highs were a bit clearer -- this makes sense as fewer pieces in the audio signal path should be less damaging to the signal

(B) CD->PRE->AMP
* more bass
* more dynamic

The preamp section of the Audio Aero is very good and uses an analog volume control, but I suspect it can be bettered by either custom modifications to it or with a very expensive preamp. . .

I chose to go with the CD->AMP config as musical details across an entire freq spectrum are more important for me than a slight increase is bass and dynamics (as I'm using 97dB efficient speakers they're already quite dynamic). I can improve the bass amount and dynamics when I plan to buy a pair of subwoofers and put a high-pass filter ahead of the SET amp thereby reducing the heavy bass demands on it to improve dynamics.

Hope this helps in some small way.

Shadorne...That's what I supposed about "digital" volume controls. Thanks for the details. It is no coincidence that they all seem to have the same 1/2 dB resolution.

I just got my McCormack MAP-1 6 channel preamp back from repair. (Kudos to CJ which now owns McCormack. No charge, even shipping).
My problem was no output from the center channel, and the fix was to replace the Center/Subwoofer volume control IC.