Passive/line stage HT preamp?

Actually, I guess a better way to ask the question is can I go directly from the analog outs of the Oppo to my amps? Do I lose anything that way?

"Actually, I guess a better way to ask the question is can I go directly from the analog outs of the Oppo to my amps? Do I lose anything that way?"

The Oppo has a volume control that works in the digital domain? Such controls theoretically lose resolution as the volume is reduced. You may prefer to insert a preamp that has an analog-based volume control like the Parasound P7 that Kal mentioned.

Other affordable candidates are the McCormack map1 and the bel canto 6 channel preamp that occasionally shows up used.

It appears that you are looking for volume reduction only from a single source to your amps. There are a couple of potential downsides to using digital domain volume reduction from the oppo. In addition to loss of resolution as mentioned above, you need to consider if your source can drive the amp. This means you will need to consider the input impedance of your amps -- the higher the better, usually, if you are above 40 kOhms you will be ok, and the output impedance of the oppo-- at least a 10:1 ratio is desirable, so lower than 4 kOhms if the amp is 40.
TVC passives are good choices, and tend to be pretty good with driving amps properly. Check out Sam Telligs review of the Promitheus Ref in this months stereophile. I used that TVC for years and really liked it, then replaced it with the even better Promitheus Signature. Both of these are great values and dead quiet of course.

>> he Oppo has a volume control that works in the digital domain? Such controls theoretically lose resolution as the volume is reduced. <<

Except the Oppos use 32 bit internal processing for the volume control. Even if you turn the volume down significantly, you'll still have at least 24 bits of resolution. The Oppo's digital volume control is a very good one, I would not sweat this "issue"...

-RW-