2 channel tube preamp for a HT receiver?


I would like to improve the sound of a Harman Kardon AVR7000 receiver, connecting the CD and turntable to a 2-channel tube pre-amp and then to the receiver, for using the receiver just as an amp for stereo music, and keep the DVD connected to the receiver and 5.1 channels for DVD and Homecinema.
I have Dynaudio speakers (4 ohm - 87 db) so I need lots of amp current to drive them.
The receiver has 5 amp outputs and 5 preamp inputs (2 front, 2 rear and 1 center), interconnected with an external switch, as if the two sections of the receiver, amp - preamp, were internally separated and externally connected with that switch.
I thought to connect the 2-ch outputs of the preamp to the front channel preamp inputs of the receiver, but I doubt if, this way, I shall loose the front channels for DVD playing ( the DVD is connected to the receiver).
I also thought to connect the preamp to a L-R line input of the receiver, video 2 for example, and keep the receiver amp-preamp sections, but I think that this this way I will not get much improvement.
Do you think I can get noticeable sound improvement doing this way, or I am wasting my money?
How can I connect the preamp and the receiver?
Thanks
manuel_

Showing 2 responses by tpao

With your current set-up and an additional pair of high quality interconnects, you can interface the tube pre-amp with your AVR 7000 using the using the front L/R channels of the 5.1 inputs reserved for external processors. You can do this using either the pre-amp outputs OR the tape output loop IF it monitors the function switch. The latter allows you to use the HK's volume control solely, and the former gives you more vlume adjustment flexibility & probably better sound. Just be careful not to overload the HK's inputs by setting the volume control too high. You'll have to play it by ear (pun intended) :-)
Edesilva, yes, you're right, the more direct path from pre-amp to amp, the cleaner and ostensibly higher-quality sound. What may be somewhat confusing is the external switch mentioned between the receiver's pre-amp outputs and the internal amplifier inputs. However, my chosen path would allow the user to switch between sources already connected to the receiver--retaining all of the receiver's 5.1 capabilities--and the tube pre-amp (and whatever is connected to it) simply by connecting the tube pre-amp to the L/R main inputs of the rear 6 channel external processor jacks. I believe these jacks bypass the built-in pre-amplifier stage in the AVR 7000, yet volume control is retained to the receiver's main L/R amps through these jacks as well. All he would need to do is switch it to "external processor/decoder mode," or however Harman Kardon has named it. A tape monitor out from the tube amp would result in a fixed output to the HK, while pre-amp outs to the HK will result in variable volume adjustment from both the receiver and the tube pre-amp.