I have the $49 Schiit Sys passive pre between my dac and an NAD 214. For the price you can't beat it.
Pairing older NAD power amp with newer preamp
I have a NAD 214 power amp that I purchased about 1999. My question is, does anyone have any experience pairing it with an NAD C165BEE or even combining it with a C316BEE or C326BEE. New the 165 is more than I want to spend though. My budget is closer to $500 - $600. Not much, I know, but hey, I'm just your average Joe. I'm considering others also, not Just NAD, such as Parasound. I appreciate any advice.