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cambridge audio as pre-amp?

B

bradspit1

Active Member
hi there,
got a question for the knowledgeable chaps in here regarding using a cambridge audio a5 as a pre amp.
reason im asking is i have got myself a pair of kef 104/2 and they are fantastic and im really enjoying them but amp wise i feel im letting them down a bit as im currently using a pioneer 506 and/or a jvc as5. both these amps actually sound pretty sweet but are a bit underpowered at 20-25 watts or so. dont get me wrong these are 1970s watts and the kefs with their fancy crossovers presenting a 4 0hm load does a good job of dragging the current out of them. anyway i digress, the question i wanted to ask was a friend has a cambridge a5 in a cupboard and says i can have it as its not being used anymore and it has pre out sockets. ive just picked up a Nad 2100 power envelope power amp and need something to feed it as the old pioneer and jvc have no pre out sections. but the cambridge a5 manual says only 6-ohm loads but if im only using it as a pre amp will it be ok as obviously the nad will be powering the speakers which can obviously handle 4 ohms no problem. my thinking is i wouldnt be using the power section of the cambridge so should all be ok? any info would be great guys. thanks.
 
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The Cambridge would probably be OK - but bear in mind Cambridge make their gear with a view to the bottom-line - there are many cheap components in their gear. It may sound OK but you could probably do better for a pre-amp. It would drive the NAD fine tho and the NAD could be a good pairing with these speakers.

Do you mean a Pioneer SA-506? This could be a good sounding amp - especially with a recap.

Bear in mind that the KEFs like high current amplifiers to sound their best.

You should also check the donuts on the bass drivers - make sure these are intact, and the tweeter could most probably do with a re-ferro-fluid. You are not really truly hearing this tweeter until this is done.
 
Yep you should be good to go. If the KEFs were bi-ampable you could use the power section of the Cambridge too, but I assume they are not. A later version of the 104/2 is apparently "bi-wireable" but this is not the same in my book.
 
thanks for the reply,s guys. the Kefs are the early version so not bi wire but the flip side is the early ones have rubber surrounds so no foam rot on the outers. the inners have gone but i have replacements and glue etc to do all 4. yes i did mean a Pioneer SA-506 and it does sound good but the JVC AS-5 really seems to respond better to the Kefs and seems to sound more dynamic. also the Pioneer has one of those annoying click stop volume pots which is either too loud or too quiet either side of the ideal setting! The JVC has a variable volume pot so no prob there. The A-5 is just a stop gap at the moment and i will be looking to something better long term but need something to feed that nice powerful Nad 2100! i just wanted to be sure there would be no probs using the Cambridge as a pre as the manual states loads between 6-8 ohms. regarding the tweeters one of them was shot so i replaced them with a pair of Vifa DX25TG which Wilmslow audio here in the uk advised was a good match spec wise etc and i am quite happy with the sound. spare T33,s are thin on the ground and expensive even when they do pop up on ebay. I am more than likely to try and source a Nad 3020 or another Nad from the range with pre outs to keep the Nad lineage going in the chain as i have a Nad 4020 tuner which sounds superb also. Thanks for the info and help, much appreciated.
 
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