Using an integrated as a pre?

I am considering bypassing the amp section of my McIntosh integrated and using the pre-amp outs through a power amp, maybe a vintage Mac 24o tube amp.

Opinions?

 

I've done that myself several times and with various components.

 

I've done it with great success.

I also like the fact that I have an instant back-up if my separate power amp ever goes down.

Just as an aside (and as food for thought), have you tried replacing the stock jumper that connects the pre-amp and power-amp sections of your integrated with a really good set of cable jumpers? These are readily available from Jena Labs, Audioquest, Cardas, etc. I did this, and it improved the sound quality of my integrated amp by a surprisingly large margin. Then throw a really good power cord on your integrated (assuming it's user-replaceable), and you may not feel the need for a separate power amp -- unless you're looking for an entirely different "flavor" and not merely a bump in sound quality.

--David B.

 

I'm using a mcintosh ma6100 integrated as a pre into a mcintosh mc250 amp. Works and sounds great!

 

I do the same thing with my Peachtree iNova integrated. I use the iNova as a Dac and preamp into both tube and SS power amps.

This gives me a point of control for volume and input selection.

 

I using my Pioneer Elite A-35R as a pre for my Onkyo receiver. Mainly for convenience so I don't have to switch cables to/from the computer when doing needledrops. Also it seems to attenuate vinyl surface noise. I somewhat regret using such a great integrated as a pre-amp though. Someday when I have a lot of time I'll do some serious comparisons and decide if it's really the best option. It certainly is convenient, and I don't care to ditch the Pioneer for an actual pre-amp.

 

Sure! just to add one more "+1" to the thread ... I used my 'old' Puccini SE integrated as a pre for a couple years, with my Bottlehead Paramount 300B amps. Worked great.

 

I do this as well. I use the NAD 3020 preamp section (same as a separate 1020) into a NAD 2700 power amp.

 

I use my NAD 3020 as preamp and for powering the tweeters on my Linn Sara 9s. Bi-amped with a Nikko Alpha II for the woofers. I like it.

 

Do it with a receiver and you get a tuner thrown in like a whole new component! Not that I ever really use it. But I absolutely love the tuners built into the old Marantz receivers. So I'm running the pre-amp outs of a 2240 into a McIntosh MC2505. If I feel the need in the future to go with a pre-amp that'll offer me a bit more flexibility, inputs, whatever, it'll be an easy swap and I can retain the power amp. But right now I'm good.

 

I run a Music Hall a25.2 as a Pre into a PS Audio GCA-100 Power Amp.

It has Tape Loop.

 

I used the pre-amp in a Yamaha CA-1010 into my CJ MV-45 for a couple of years when I got tired of how lousy the phono stage in my Dyna PAS 3 really was. I was running a bit of a funky system at the time with the CJ running one set of speakers and the Yamaha second pair as a stacked setup. Not a bad sound, really.

 

I use a NAD 753 as a preamp going to a McIntosh 240. Sound is fine.

 

Ive done this with a Creek 80 watt per channel integrated amp as a preamp out to a B&K 200 watt sonata amp to startling good results, sounded way better than the matching B&K seperate preamp, i mean night and day! The creek on its own sounds really good, but it cant make power hungry speakers come alive like that B&K sonata 200wpc can! I could live with that combination a very long time, tube like mids and highs and slam ass authority in the bass.