@mrdecibel ................
I put down the Chinese preamp because it is a cheap imitation, knock off which is probably illegal, nothing more and nothing less. If you can’t see that, then you are blind. Putting a 500.00 preamp with an amp that cost more than 5K when new is just plain silly and will not yield good sound. I purchased a cheap Chinese hybrid integrated back in 2006. It was a Yaquin. After using it for 4 days, it caught fire and the manufacturer refused to warranty it. It went out in the trash, hence “cheap Chinese junk”. I am willing to bet that more than 90% of us here would not do what the OP proposes. Regarding my system, no worries you don’t like it. Right now I am loving the sound of my McIntosh MR88 tuner playing through my McIntosh C2500 tube preamp, into my McIntosh MC302 300wpc amp WITH autoformers and listening through my Golden Ear Triton References. Breathtaking sound to be sure.
Why don’t you try this: purchase the Dartzeel clone that is selling for $1200.00. It must be a real bargain as the real amp goes for something like 17K. The real Dartzeel uses 4 caps larger than soda cans. The clone uses caps smaller than my finger. I am sure it will sound just as good (not).
I put down the Chinese preamp because it is a cheap imitation, knock off which is probably illegal, nothing more and nothing less. If you can’t see that, then you are blind. Putting a 500.00 preamp with an amp that cost more than 5K when new is just plain silly and will not yield good sound. I purchased a cheap Chinese hybrid integrated back in 2006. It was a Yaquin. After using it for 4 days, it caught fire and the manufacturer refused to warranty it. It went out in the trash, hence “cheap Chinese junk”. I am willing to bet that more than 90% of us here would not do what the OP proposes. Regarding my system, no worries you don’t like it. Right now I am loving the sound of my McIntosh MR88 tuner playing through my McIntosh C2500 tube preamp, into my McIntosh MC302 300wpc amp WITH autoformers and listening through my Golden Ear Triton References. Breathtaking sound to be sure.
Why don’t you try this: purchase the Dartzeel clone that is selling for $1200.00. It must be a real bargain as the real amp goes for something like 17K. The real Dartzeel uses 4 caps larger than soda cans. The clone uses caps smaller than my finger. I am sure it will sound just as good (not).