Best preamp is no preamp: always true?

Not a matter of impedance matching. A matter of drive impedance.

I think the accurate answer is yes and no. It depends on the system, components, and match-ups. I had a Wadia 16 based system directly driving a pair of Clayton monos and Quadrature DSP-5a's which was really nice. Currently, I have a pair of Soundlab M-2's and Merlin VSM-MM's and in both cases the soundstage just doesn't seem to be anywhere near as solid and fleshed out with a direct drive vs. having a preamp in the system. Hope this helps but I really think this is purely a system dependent issue.

I have tried the following passive devices and CD players with analog volume controls;

Muse Thalia CD/DVD with all recent upgrades
Resolution Audio Opus 21 CD
Audio Aero Capitole MKII Sig version
Audio Aero Prima MKII
Placette RVC
EVS Attenuators
Quad CDP 99
Cary - various
CJ CD player - forget the model#
Gamut with active and passive stages
Berning ZH270 with no pre - has volume

I so wanted to go preampless and save money. I love simplicity also. Some of the above, in fact most, sounded good even great, direct into my various tube and SS amps. In fact,I have gone preless for weeks/months at a time.

My experience in every instance, yes every one, is a good preamp improved the sound in various ways. Here are my specific examples.

1) Muse Thalia direct into Mcalister Audio tube amp and March A400s SS amp VS Bel Canto Pre6

The pre 6 gave much improved bass on both amps. Much more dynamic and firm. The highs were more detailed with improved imaging. A more balanced sound. Transparancy actually improved.

The Muse has an excellent analog volume as an FYI.

Now at first the Muse direct seemed preferabe, but after 10 days of going back and forth the above become obvious.

2) AA Capitole direct into a CJ MV60 tube amp and Mcintosh MC402 SS amp VS Aesthetix Calypso pre

Well, the direct route was very good on both counts. This is a great player - no doubt. However, when I introduced the Calypso I was astounded by the improvement. As an FYI this is a great combo! The mids and highs were more intimate and "in the room". Again, the bass firmed up and went deeper. Things simply sounded more right and alive - less smooooooothed out if you will.

3)RA Opus 21 direct into Blue Circle and JC1 monoblock SS amps and Bruce Moore Dual 70 tube amp VS CJ LS 16 pre

The CJ simply gave more meat and foundation to the music. Without it the music sounded thinner and more threadbare. Now the sound direct was very good. If I did not have the CJ on hand to compare, then I would have been very satified with the sound. Having the CJ spoiled the works!

I won't bore you with more comparisions, but will share this. The BV Audio P10 pre also improved the sound vs. the Placette RVC. Again, bigger stage, deeper bass and improved detail and LIFE to the music.I found the EVS attenuators very, very thin sounding on several amps compared to several preamps including the Tom Evans Vibe.

I have done other comparisons and never has preless been as good.The Berning ZH270 amp became fuller sounding with improved dynamics and body with a Joule LA100 MKIII preamp.

I sell gear for folks and have been blessed to have many of the finest pieces of gear in my house to "play" with. I only listen to CD's and have longed to dump a pre and save money. My experience has shown me it can't happen for me, at least with all of the combo's in my treated listening room.

A good pre just gives music more body, soul, weight and life. I am sure I will get to try other gear and look forward to be proven wrong and save money.I am open and willing :-)

Bill

Bill: thanks for sharing your experiences. My question now is why? is it because an active preamp "massages" the signal that comes out of the CDP (for example, it cleans the mids, tightens the bass) therefore making it a "better" CDP (even with top notch CDP)? or, there is something that the PRE does to the operations of the AMP itself - say it allows the amp to operate within a more efficient or "comfortable" range? I know this may sound a silly question but it would seem to me that looking at the sequence of gear in the system, a PRE improves the input signal fed to the AMP rather than magically improving the AMP. However, I often read about the PRE-AMP combo as if both were co-dependent, almost independent of the source.

Great question and I don't have the answer. I simply report my experiences as I am not a tech dude or electronics expert. Perhaps others can help. All I know is with all of the various pieces of gear and combinaions of gear my music was improved with a pre. I am sure different reasons for several of the gear match-ups. Perhaps not. Sorry as I do not know why. It just is. Ha!