I used to have the Puccini and u-clock combo and agree with Jfrech that things sound better with a preamp in the chain.
dCS Puccini built-in preamplifier
I am interested in any opinion about dCS Puccini built-in preamplifier. From my experiences connecting directly Puccini to Jadis JA 80, Ayon Vulcan, Cary CAD805 (once) and Art Audio Silver Harmony (now)is that the sound quality of built-in preamp is very good. Leading role plays interconect cable between dCS and external preamplifier. The high quality cable (as Siltech from Royal series) beats every external preamplifier that I have heard in my system (I vad Jadis JP80, Art Audio Conductor, Octave HP700). But It may be misleading when comparing to top pramplifier with top interconect. That is why I am asking Conmmunity.