Proton to NAD?

[garage sound]

I picked up a Proton 1100 preamp the other day. Not much information on the web about the specific model, but several folks here on AK said Proton made a lot of stuff for NAD.
Not having owned a true preamp before, I'll tell you I'm surprised by how little "stuff" is in this box. Is this amount of open real estate normal and advised in a preamp?
So, if anyone can tell from the nudie photo, is this an equivalent of a NAD model preamp?

 

[oldenuff]

Is this amount of open real estate normal and advised in a preamp?

Not neccessarily "normal", but the ideal would be nothing in the box at all.....a case where " less is more"...

 

[Bob Clobber]

I would think the reason that there's not a lot of stuff in the box is that the case is built to the same size as the matching amp, tuner, etc. Seeing as the preamp is only passing along a signal without amplifying, you don't have big transformers and such filling it up.
My NAD preamp looks pretty simple inside, too.

 

[Tromatic]

I took a few electrons to a nad once. Hurt like an SOB.

 

[garage sound]

Tromatic, whether that happened to you on purpose or by accident, you have our sympathy.
Was hoping someone would know if/which NAD pre this is/resembles.

 

[Tromatic]

Have you looked closely at the circuit board? It may have some information regarding design and construction.

ETA: This was a LONG time ago, but I remember reading in a Stereophile review of a Proton widget that it was either built by NAD, or on the same production line as NAD gear. Who knows.

 

[rcspkramp]

Duning the 1980s, the parent company of Proton, Fulet Electric Industrial of Taiwan did manufacture for NAD. But I'm not sure that they actually shared products. I believe that they were different.

 

[bryblob]

I was thinking that matsushita made the proton and nad stuff but I could be wrong

 

[Rodzilla]

like everyone else i have heard that NAD and proton had some sort of relationship,but i don't know the specifics,it could also be only that they did seem to compete in roughly the same market with the same design philosophy...

that said the interior of the pre looks decent enough with some genuine high end touches...looks like an alps blue velvet or other high quality volume pot,short signal paths etc...try it out,it looks for all the world like whoever designed it at least made an effort to put some quality parts and design into it...

 

[Jon_Logan]

I was thinking that matsushita made the proton and nad stuff but I could be wrong

I agree with rcspkramp, Fulet. I don't think Proton and NAD ever put out the same design either. I worked for a warranty station for NAD, Proton, and others and while we saw similarities in some parts (PCB color and stampings, green power switch knobs, etc), we never saw the same design badged for Proton and NAD.

 

[classic carl]

I have a Proton AP-1000 preamp and it is an excellent pre. My preamp seems to have more "stuff" inside of it than yours. I do know that mine was modified by the previous owner.
It's my understanding that Proton and NAD used the same manufacuring facility but Proton used better parts in their gear.