Advice needed - preamp into integrated amp ?

Weird question, so my apologies if the answer is obvious to some ….

I have a Marantz PM6005 integrated amp. I use an iFi iTube buffer between my CD and the Marantz. The iTube also doubles as a preamp that I can use in combination with the tube or disengage completely. Is there a way that I could experiment using the itube as the preamp for the Marantz or will I fry something ? If I can utilise it, how do I and what do I do with the Marantz’ volume control ?

This comment from a review of the iTube is what has me curious ......

Preamp and buffer on
Using both the preamp and buffer does not sound good. No, the combination sounds shockingly good! Does the sound quality approach the best (read expensive) preamplifiers I’ve heard? Don’t be silly. What the iTube provides is a tantalizingly large amount of superior sound of which the best preamplifiers offer in spades, yet only costing a fraction in order to achieve it.

http://www.dagogo.com/ifi-audio-micro-series-itube-pre-amplifier-review-part/2

 

Is be interested in an answer to this (actually how to do it). I have a 100W Rotel integrated amp and was wondering what I should buy as a Preamp and how to hook it up so the Rotel is the power amp. Thanks.

 

It doesn't seem like your amp has a preamp out/main in so no matter what you will be going through the Marantz preamp. I think I would connect the iTube to the Recorder in/out. I don't see a selector for Monitor so I am not sure of the actual operation to listen to the recorder input. Normally, I would think it would output the last selected input.

I don't see any harm in experimenting with it. No reason it would blow anything up. Tube gear is normally more picky about impedance matching, but I would not imaging any issues with the iTube.

I'm not real sure what the advantage to using the volume on the buffer would be if you cannot go around the integrated's preamp. I would set it to something resembling unity and leave it alone.

 

So set the buffer/preamp's volume and use the Marantz' or the other way around ?
I was wondering about using an input other than the CD input, and it appears Recorder in is my only other option.

 

It's all a little confusing with regards to which volume control to set and leave and which to use ?

Example ...... http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/tube-pre-amp-into-ss-integrated-amp.95600/