Since we are on the topic, I can't for the life of me hear a difference in the pure passive vs buffered output of the Schiit Freya+
That's good, and (I would opine) it means:
1) the buffer is reasonably well designed and implemented.
2) you don't have any requirement for impedance matching 'twixt upstream and power amplifier.
and, further -- kinda, sorta, on topic -- I will repost something I posted Someplace Else recently
vis-a-vis the related question "do I need an [active] preamplifier?" I think this is (again: kinda, sorta) applicable in the context of this thread, too. YMMV, though, as they say.
My "learnings" in preamps.
* Simplest is best
* Everything matters
* Power supplies are hard to get right
footnotes:
1) Nope, this isn't meant to be profound.
2) The third point was meant to apply to
linear power supplies, but - since I know there are fans of SMPS here - I think it applies generically to the magic box that converts AC mains power to whatever DC supplies are required for the gizmo to operate
decently and in good order.