"My point is use a damn pre amp of decent quality or you won't be happy with any transduced sound"

Yep, got that point Don.
My experience with K&K's is that, provided you have a good active DI box with the correct input impedance (i.e. 1 Megohm), a pre-amp isn't essential - you can use one if that's your wish, but it's not essential.
My experience also, using the K&K with my Baggs Para-DI, was that it actually caused a signal drop and removed bass, thus reducing volume and making the sound very thin - a result of the mis-match in impedances, the 1 Megohm of the K&K vs. the 10 Meg of the Baggs. I would strongly recommend using the K&K outboard pre-amp to anyone who felt that they needed a pre-amp, although I don't use one, I just have the Orchid active DI (which is a very classy piece of kit) and I'm more than happy with the sound I get whether it be through my Roland amp or direct through the PA (and also with the compliments I get from audients about the great sound of my guitars).