Depending on the source, some preamps are really low pass filters with an aural exciter thrown in.
Might work for some kid banging on an electric guitar, but try using say an API preamp on a bell tree, it won't work.
Here's a question for ya, if you had to give up your ears and get an implant, which preamp would you pick for general listening?
I can only imagine being forced to hear the world through rose colored ears. If we had API ears, we would have never evolved as the saber toothed tigers would have finished us off thousands of years ago.
Food for thought, or food for big cats?