"07-10-13: Edorr
Steve, this is the theory. As I mentioned, nine out of ten of the guys on whatsbestforum with six figure systems end up adding a preamp to their DAC. They can't be all tone deaf and/or suckers. As Denon mentioned, you need to spend $20K (and up) to get the desired result, which they do."
I agree overall, but you don't have to spend 20k. If you match your components well, you can get away for less.
You can also get great sound without a preamp. In both cases, it comes down to good system matching and what you like.
Oferi,
For someone with 6 months experience in audio, you seem to have your mind made up about a lot of things. Nothing wrong with that. I won't tell you how to think. You did ask for advice, though. You appear to have a good start on the technical aspects of audio. I would now balance that with some listening experience. Not everything in audio can be measured. If you don't accept that and find a way to blend your listening experience with the tech aspect, this will not be a fun hobby for you.