integrated Amp preamp section or Dac Pre amp section


Hello all

I hope you are all fine under the current circumstances. 

My systems components are a NAD375BBE integrated amplifier and my main source is the Cambridge Audio CXN (v1). As you might know the DAC has a pre amplifier section module in it so I could use this to connect to the pre outs of the NAD which then will be a power amplifier. I have heard various opinions about if DACs pre amps can actual deliver or not so I thought to put it in the forum.

The obvious answer is do it and listen but I would like to take this opportunity and learn something from it too. Below are the specifications from NAD and Cambridge pre amp sections: 

THD 
NAD (Pre OUT (2V in 2V out, CCIF IMD, DIM 100) :
>0.004% (ref. 20Hz – 20kHz)
Cambridge: 
THD @ 1kHz -10dBFs: <0.001   
THD @ 20kHz 0dBFs<0.002

S/N Ratio
NAD:
>110dB (A-weighted, ref. 2V, Volume maximum),
>102dB (A-weighted, ref. 500mV) , 
>92dB (A-weighted, ref. 100mV in 100mV out - unity gain)
Cambridge:
-112dBr (at volume set to full)

Channel Seperation/Crosstalk
NAD (channel seperation):
>80dB@1kHz, >70dB@10kHz
Cambridge (Crosstalk): 
Crosstalk @ 1kHz < -100dB
Crosstalk @ 20kHz < -90dB

Frequency response
NAD:
± 0.5dB (ref. 20Hz - 20kHz)
Cambridge: 
20Hz-20kHz +/- 0.1dB 

Which ones do you think are better and why? As I said, I can connect it and check although it is a good opportunity for me to learn more on pre amp specifications. 

Thanks

dibo81
I don’t think those specs are going to necessarily determine anything alone. You have to try it and see which you prefer.


Also be sure to connect the line level analog out from the DAC/pre-amp to the proper input on the NAD for it’s amp section which in pictures I see online appears to be labeled "main in". Pre-out on the NAD is an output were you to use it with an external power amp so do not connect to that....bad things could happen so be sure to get a handle on the proper connection before trying.

Thanks mapman. Apologies for the confusion, yes I meant the main in. 
I will try to do it over the weekend to see if there is any sonic improvement.  

From a bit of reading I did, the Cambridge seems to have better pre amp specifications? Lower number at THD, higher number at S/N ration and channel separation so as far as I understood thats better, right?