1060 as a pre?

[xiaNaix]

I'm currently using a Marantz 1060 to drive my Bozak B-301 Tempo's. It sounds great but, of course, I'm always looking to upgrade. I love the warm sound of the 1060, though, so I'm thinking of maybe just adding a power amp and using it as a pre. For those of you using similar setups, what's your recommendation? Would I be a nutcase to use the 1060 as a pre with a fairly inexpensive tube amp or should I just pair it with a Marantz 250?

 

[ejman]

Just for the fun of it, I used the 1060 as a preamp to my Marantz 1200 integrated which has a slightly lower power version of the 250 as the power amp but same circuit. The result? warm very nice Marantz two martini sound, not quite as detailed as the sound from the 1200 preamp section (which is the 3300 preamp) but very listenable and mellow. Can't help you with the tube amp. Don't have any.

 

[Oerets]

Have been using a 1070 as a pre-amp matched with a Carver M200t for years , :thmbsp:

I even have a NAD 3020 that could be used the same way but the Marantz sounds to be more fuller IMHO ....

If you do choose to go with a power amp get as much clean Watts as you can afford !



Barney

 

[Brian]

The Bozaks generally do better with SS amps. Bozaks are very revealing of the character of whatever amps are connected to them, I know from experience. One thing about the speakers is the better the amp the better they respond. You mention a cheap tube amp. I'm not sure whether by cheap you really mean inexpensive or of poor quality. If you can pick up an ARC D76a (or something like it such as a Mc or Marantz) inexpensively then go for it. If you really mean of poor quality I'd suggest only doing it IF you have acceptable return privileges.

Maybe if you gave a budget for the power amp, someof us with Bozaks can throw out some ideas. As for using the 1060 as a preamp, it is really a nice unit.

Just a suggestion if on a tight budget and may seem strange. The H-K x30 series receivers are quite good but their weakness is that the preamps are not up to the power amp in terms of sound. OTOH, the preamp of the 1060 is better than the power amp section. I use an outboard preamp on my 630 and the difference is night and day. As the x30 receivers are quite inexpensive if not looking for goobs of power, you may want to search out one of them (not the 330 series, though) and use the 1060 preamp and the tuner and power amp of the H-K as they have the preamp outputs. The receivers have dual power supplies and hence the amps are dual mono. I've run the 630 into my 302s and the Symphonies with very satisfying results. I actually keep the H-K primarily for its power amp.