Can I hook up a DCS Puccini player/preamplifier directly to an ARC GS150 ampilifier?

I'll bet it can! And going direct into the amp will eliminate another active stage. This is good! The volume control in the Puccini is high-quality and will work fine!

After looking at the descriptions and specs of the two components I see no reason why they wouldn't work together properly, without a preamplifier. I can't comment, though, on whether inserting any specific preamp into the chain would be likely to improve or degrade the resulting sonics.

You would want to use XLR cables to connect the two components, of course, as the GS150 does not provide RCA inputs, and I'm pretty certain it would not work properly if provided single-ended signals via RCA-to-XLR adapters.

Regards,
-- Al
 

See phusis's post on 4 - 20 -2013!

I could not locate the post from phusis. However, I do have expensive XLR cables for balanced connections (Transparent brand) if that makes sense. I figure the only way to make this work is by using great connectors between the Puccini player and the GS150 - still to be tested.

Thanks - Gerry

A word of warning. DCS output drivers are not the best in the world. I own a full Vivaldi stack and there is a clear loss of transparency in using its balanced output over the single ended (in both cases into my ARC Ref 40 with identical AQ WEL interconnects)

Secondly see this lengthy discussion of the risks in trying to drive a tube power amp directly from a Rossini
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/the-jadis-ja200mk2-review-or-slam

personally if I was you I wouldn’t try this, a good tube pre will sound much better

Even Paul McGowen prefers a preamp-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh27E7YKN9s

But, if Almarg says it is doable, then give it a try. 
B

Folkfreak-

Thank you for the feedback. I do know many who drive solid-state amplifiers directly from DACs, but I realize that I may be looking at a horse of a different color. 

Having been exposed to the arbitrary and capricious nature of the audiophile high-end marketing community, I am always trying to limit expense while increasing resolution. That being said, it is possible for me to obtain a preamplifier, I just am wary of what people say is required versus what is sufficient.

Thanks - Gerry

P.S. - Not to belabor a monotonous comparison that is often invoked, having been a purchaser of many Porsche 911s for racing over the years, a marketplace which is full of charlatans, I have to say that not only are the magazines (e.g., Stereophile, TAS) very obvious in their bias based on advertisers, but the high-end boutique stores in this domain seem prone to very aggregious sales and marketing tactics (with a very few exceptions).