Is no preamp really better that a good preamp?


Hi All, I have PS Audio gear, and both my DAC and my phono section have enough gain to run directly to the amp. Is this really the optimal arrangement, or might I actually get better sound by adding a good preamp, say a Cary or a Modwright tube unit, to the mix. Thanks in advance.
Ag insider logo xs@2xrustler
"I still wonder how this one Aesthetix preamp could fix those specific areas he's has singled out."

We can all wonder but this little gem from PM will get a lot of DirectStream owners to start adding the Calypso to their systems or replacing their current preamps with it, instead of retiring the Directstream altogether.
Why not, if it sounds as stunning as PM describes? Again, theory aside, of course.

Cheers! J.
Better yet, DirectStream owners can wait for the upcoming BHK preamp.

http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2015/10/05/rmaf-2015-its-always-sunny-at-ps-audio/
....which still does not explain how the Aesthetix could fix the DirectStream's 'problems' and,
....that rather than tout another brand, build one of your own.
The synergy is now complete.

Cheers! J.
An excerpt from today's blog post by Mr. McGowan on the same subject:
Our newest DAC, DirectStream, ... has zero loss at any level setting–a major achievement. So, how could a control with zero resolution be suspect? That’s a question I have been mulling on for some time now.

One piece of the puzzle seems obvious. We know that tiny changes in the way internal FPGA process are organized make significant differences in sound. Even changes to the display affect sound quality. It’s a delicate process when jitter, power supply and the tiniest of changes can be heard and must be attended to. What’s to stop us from believing that different level settings have different sound qualities–despite the fact there are no measurable resolution losses?

Were it to be found true much would be explained. For instance, we know not all preamps sound better than DACs directly into power amps. In fact, most don’t. This observation lends credibility to the explanation that it is not preamps that make DACs sound better, rather, it is preamps helping DACs not sound worse. This theory can only be true if the preamp is of sufficient quality to add less degradation than using the DAC’s volume control. That all kind of makes sense.

But, just because something makes sense, doesn’t mean it’s true. How do we make this determination to see if this theory holds water?
Regards,
-- Al