blbloom: i'm now running my 850 directly into a pair of cj's premier 12 monoblocks (speakers are jm labs mezzo utopias). i have a/b'ed the 850/premier 12 combo with and without cj's pv10a preamp (part of my last configuration). my experience kind of ties-out with jkphoto's comment--by eliminating the preamp i'm experiencing increased clarity. but not at the expense of musicality. the depth and breth of my soundstage seem nearly the same, but focus and imaging have gotten tighter and sharper. and the low end is more controlled. i do not beleive i've sacraficed the rythem, warmth and richness that i associate with musicality (but maybe that's because of my output tubes? or the "wadia" sound?) i'm not sure whether these improvements are the result of (a) eliminating the preamp alltogether or (b) eliminating a good preamp, but one that was not up to scratch with the balance of my system. i can tell you that running the 850 directly into the amps did result in a bit of brightness at first. so i toyed around with cables a bit and moved some furniture here and there and then found happiness. i enjoy the krell sound; i find it hightly analytical. but i also find it a bit bright or cold sometimes. i'm not too sure whether running your 830 directly in will counter-balance or exacerbate this (then again, as is always the case in this crazyfun hobby, maybe it's just my ears!). for the moment i intend to continue running the 850 directly into the amps. but i am interested in testing a more sophisticated preamp (such as cj's mini art) to see whether it adds value. the beauty of the wadia's (and other volume control cd players) is that you can run them right in for a while and add a preamp later (when you are motivated to change or, in my case, have the $$$). i say, give it a try and see (hear) what you like best. in addition to borrowing some rca interconnects, why not look for a pair of balanced/rca adaptors? they'd be a bit more cost effective and you could save re-cableing until later (when you re-amp). i've a question for jkphoto: has your experience with the waida's been that volume control necessary results in perceptiably decreased resolution? this has not been my experience, due in part i think because i opened my 850 up and flipped a switch or two to better match the 850's volume control to my system. i'm now listening at levels in the 80's and 90's. there is a trade off, however, i can no longer push my system to beyond listenable levels. but why do that anyway? have fun.
