Preamp SS to match class D amp

Thank you Atmasphere for the accurate explaination who add value to this post and as well to Mapman to report his experience with Belcanto. I tried Belcanto preamp with old version of chip that was Icepower and I didn’t like, sounds was compressed but changed with external preamp. For what I understood class d preamp (so I assume most of the one who have streamer functions or Dac) are not evolved as the latest class d amp so is better to look for a traditional SS. I guess that Nad pre amp are class d circuit base however is true that AVM are transistor based the latest ones. Here i know the national distributor and there is a lot of second hand available for good price, Germans usually go to bigger brand like Burmester if they pay cash and brand new. For AVM I know the previous serie and was ok
nothing to make say is a miracle, however if a ss state preamp 10 years old had same technology I don’t go for a new product. SS preamp didn’t had significant jump in technologies in the past decades and no so many brands are still investing in these as people trend is class d or all in one system. So can you suggest me an old good as pre amp, if with phono even better, but a proper pre amp that I might find on second hand

Your McIntosh 8900 sounds to 80s hi fI?
Maybe it is your speakers that are letting you down.  I just scrolled through this thread so I may be missing something, but I see no speakers mentioned.  

Bryston makes a nice SS Pre for consideration.  https://www.stereophile.com/content/bryston-bp-173-line-preamplifier

beppep OP

We found your your Belcanto Ref 600M mono’s (that use Hypex NC500 modules and buffer) had a good sound "for Class-D" when they drove a two way speaker that had a Rahl ribbon with very benign 6ohm load and the mid/bass was also a benign load.

Your lucky in that your Harbeth 40.1 are similar, in that they have an impedance load line nearly always above 6ohm, and a -phase angle that is very low, the only time -phase is high is at 55hz but then the impedance is nice and high at that frequency also, so it nulls it out. These speakers are kind to Class-D, if you change speakers look for similar loading.

https://www.stereophile.com/images/archivesart/1008harH40fig1.jpg

As to your preamp question I don't use one, I have a pair of the Hypex NC500's here also but driven direct from the dac to their balanced input stages with no buffer before it, and they also have a huge Linear power supply instead of SMP like the 600m have, they do sound good in my second system that uses speakers again with very benign loading.

Cheers George

@georgehifi very good sense of observation:) and well appreciated advice.indeed I have Harbeth 40.1 and now a Belcanto to match. I read quite a lot on class d and being in contact with engineers who know personally the contributor or the Hypex module not the inventor as many review said. Well there are many customised class d amp with same modules but what make difference is the implementation. You can buy molamola for 14k and I get the same one for 3k, same components i should say but different input. Taking this I decided to invest in well known brand rather than pay half price for the new 1200 Hypex that on paper should overperform the 500 but without implementation is not such a jump in sound (reason why I don’t buy amplifier from assemblers). another valid point I will not change speakers I just buy extra pair if I want something different, but Harbeth 40 is to keep for me. The important is to find a decent pre amp with at least two input to play vinyl and a Dac streamer.