Done what you're asking on two different systems with different cables (Cardas and Analysis Plus) two times. In both cases best results were with better cables from source to pre.
Interconnects - better before preamp or after preamp?
If you have a World class preamp, is there a need to go nuts buying some really nice cables before the Signal reaches the preamp?. Let the preamp do its thing and then provide Royal treatment for Signal‘s Journey to the amplifier.
If you had to choose between before or after a preamp what would you do?