Bought powerful/expensive Amp+Speakers but plan to use an old preamp , am I crazy?


Please hear me out.

I got back into the hi-fi game after a hiatus and chanced upon some gear I have always wanted, for a great price, so I jumped on it... which resulted in no budget left for a pre-amp!

Purchased gear, yet to arrive:
Amp: McIntosh MC-452
Speakers: Paradigm Persona 3F

Sources that I already own:
Analog: Linn Sondek LP12
Digital : Oppo UDP203 / Bluenode 2i

 

I have an old NAD-1155 Pre-Amp lying around that i simply love!! It has one of the best phono stages I have come across among all the pre-amps I’ve owned. So I’m hoping I can use the NAD as an interim arrangement, before I can save up for a better pre-amp.

My question is rather simplistic, would the NAD cause any problems when paired with the Big MAC, in terms of compatibility and/or sonic abilities?

Besides it being a dirt cheap component (relatively speaking), nothing tells me it can’t be used, but I need someone to chime in and tell me I’m not being too naive or optimistic!

 

Edit: Link to the Preamp - https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/nad/1155.shtml

 

bugsnest

Thank you all for chiming in... It sounds like the consensus is I don't risk damaging anything in the chain using the NAD... but I ought to be saving up for a better/improved pre-amp in the future :)

I would try the NAD, but I would not expect great sound. I tried using my Adcom preamp with my krell amp and it sounded horrible, bought a new preamp and now I have great sound.

op

your to-soon-arrive speakers are pretty darned resolving and your big mac amp is very good

my guess is you will hear a notable difference (improvement) in sound quality going from the nad (which will work just fine, as has been said) to a higher level linestage, whether it be a higher order solid state unit or one that runs tubes

ithere is no reason the nad wont work Iwoild dfefinately recomemd a new preamp

 

you will be shocked at the improvement