Chord DACs

For the last week or so,I have been running my Naim Core digital out>Nordost Heimdall 11 (75 ohm) digital cable>Hugo 2 coax input>using the Hugo 2 as a pre amp>RCA analog outs,using 2 Nordost Heimdall 11 analog cables>directly to my Anthem MCA 50 amp>Dynaudio special 40s.This has been an eye opener,I have never heard instruments sound so real,and the soundstage so detailed and HUGE in width and depth.Today I changed it up a bit,and took the digital cable off the Core,put it back on the N272 digital out,used the same music in UPNP mode,so essentially ran it through the 272 as a streamer.Still using the Hugo 2 as the pre amp directly into the Anthem amp,to the special 40s.To cut to the chase,it lost its magic with the 272 in there,now I only have very standard modem,router,and Ethernet cables,no switch,so I think all of these factors are degrading the sound coming out of the 272.What I want to do next,is get a cable so I can use my 250 DR instead of the Anthem (RCA to XLR),but as it stands right now,The digital out of the Core,smokes the UPNP through the 272/XPSDR...directly into the Hugo 2.I know people say you need a Naim pre amp to get the Naim sound,but maybe that can be attained from the Core only,because I am loving what this simplified system does,and makes me question why I need the pre amp at all,especially since I was tempted to upgrade the XPSDR to a 555DR,after HHS recent thread...just thought I would share some of what I found,Core>DAC>AMP>Speakers>Heaven.