cdp digital volume control or preamp?

Hi Lousyreeds1,
No, I didn't. I thought, if the the prices for good ones were high enough to put me close to the price range of a good line stage, so why not just get a line stage? Even though I only have one source, I can now add another, if I want.

Cheers.

That's an excellent point. Is it passive or active?

It is incorrect to say that a digital volume control necessarily loses information. One would need to look at exactly how a digital volume control is implemented, but one way would be as a stepped attenuator (pure analog) with the mechanical switch replaced by electronic ones, or digitally actuated relays. Everyone "knows" that a stepped attenuator is better than a pot. The notion that digital volume control is accomplished by dropping bits is plain wrong.

The BC 21.1 is an active pre-amp. It uses two 6922 tubes.

As others have said this is an issue of personal preference. Volume control in the digital domain always results in the loss of resolution, -1-bit/6db below unity gain. You should really consider the sound quality of the outputs on your source when deciding whether you go active or passive preamp. In general I would only go passive if there are discrete circuits on the outputs of the source.