Only Want to Use the Preamp: Connecting Integrated Amp to McCormack DNA 125?

Lovegasoline

I've been running a mid-1980's vintage Yamaha Integrated Amp, model A-700.
My sources are a Meridian 508.20 CDP and a Music Hall MMF.7 Turntable (with Eroica Cartridge). Speakers are LSi9s.

After a long upgrade waiting period, I just purchased a McCormack DNA-125 Amp and I am going to integrate it into the system. Until I can afford a preamp upgrade (I've had my eye on an Audible Illusions M3A) I intend to use the preamp section of the Yamaha Integrated amp. I want to BYPASS the amplifier section of the A-700 and just use the Preamp and Phono Pre sections of the Yamaha.


Question:
To effect this, how do I connect the Yamaha Integrated to the McCormack Amp? Do I plug ICs from the McCormack to the A-700's TAPE OUT jacks [the Yamaha has 2 tape loops: TAPE IN/OUT A, TAPE IN/OUT B].

Thanks a bunch.

Face

Tape loop would not work, does it have a set of preamp outs?

The only way I could see using tape out is if you used a stepped attenuator in line between the Yammy and DNA-125.

Lovegasoline

No preamp outs on the A-700.

Lovegasoline

The back of the Yamaha A-700 has the following single ended jacks:

---

GROUND Post

---

PHONO

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INPUTS:
-TUNER
-DAD
-AUX

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TAPE 1
-TAPE PB
-REC OUT

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TAPE 2
-TAPE PB
-REC OUT

---

Ricardo

The problem with tape outputs is that you won't be able to control volume, and the default output is going to be high, probably too high. As Face mentioned, you would need some kind of volume control unit between the integrated and the amp, or accelerate the upgrade path...

Lovegasoline

Thanks for the answers.

Back to the drawing board!

jchouston

I had the same issue recently with a mid 90's Yamaha integrated amp.


I had to wait until I bought a pre amp; no other solution.

BUT...you can get something sub-$100 on Ebay that can tide you over until your optimum piece is available.

Lovegasoline

If there's nothing else to be done, I'm need to go that direction: buy a very inexpensive pre (w/MC phono stage)to put the McCormack into play.

ohskigod

while tape out for actual preamp use is out, you can use the tape out to just use the phono pre section of the yammie. if you get a preamp that happens to not have a phono pre, its an option. of course, getiing a cheap pre with a phono pre would be a better option (less components, wires, pain in the @ss in general)

baldmosher

Equipment:

integrated amp 1: Technics SU-A900 MkII (no Pre Out or In)
Driving Heybrook Optimas, bi-wired Cable Talk 3.1 (bananas). 100W RMS.
I really like the Technics, but I'm running out of excuses to keep using it as I don't think it will do what I want it to, and it cuts out at very high volumes (i.e. faulty). I use fewer inputs (CD; Twin TTs via separate mixer; PC via tape loop 1) than 10 years ago, so don't need all the facilities now.

integrated amp 2: Realistic SA-2001 (has "Pre Out" and "Main In")
I bought this on eBay for about £20 to experiment with, retailed for ~£400 on its release in the '70s. 20W RMS.
Currently driving a passive mono sub (see below) as the extra depth (especially for subsonic dub/DnB) is really lovely to have and now I can't live without it. Has some nice VU meters and lots of useful filters and only ever hits about 5W at peak volume.
I suspect that if I were to use a true pre input the power stage would be excellent. However, the (A+B) speaker terminals are really awful (but there are also RCA speaker outputs available...) though it's fine for the sub.


I found some workarounds to the lack of Pre on the Technics, but none truly works well enough to satisfy my need to improve.

1. I tried output from Tape Loop into Main In but as has been explained above, this is far too loud.

2. I then tried using the 7mm jack HeadPhoneOut on my Technics, input into Main In on Realistic, this works OK. However, the H/P/O is independent of main volume; I can manually adjust the H/P/O to the correct volume level each time, but this isn't ideal. I am concerned that there might be too much line amplification this way, and I'll do some damage to the either power amp or speakers. (It's difficult to detect distortion in the sub, but it sounds OK.)

3. (current setup) I'm using the Technics TL Out to feed Realistic TL In - this sounds the same as the H/P/O but again, the volume on each amp is independent.

Nice to be able to set it up like a fake pre/power combo, but I do feel like I'm cheating, and I know the level balance is likely to be very wrong. I certainly wouldn't want to try biamping through this route. Not ideal but it works, and I'm only altering the sub volume this way.