Importance of Amplifier versus Preamp?

Its more useful to discuss the order in which one tackles these things.

For best results fastest, you always want to get the biggest issues resolved first.

That is the amp/speaker/room domain That makes it very important to get this area all right together first.

Only then you are in a position to judge whats upstream further for its "sound quality", much of which is a very personal and highly subjective decision making process, hence the interest shown there by many.

But first thing is first. Tackle the biggest issues first! That's basic engineering best practice. You have to get the biggest nuts and bolts right first before sweating the details, no matter how important those are as well. In the case of a home audio system, that is the amp/speaker/room "subsystem".

Other ways might work out in the end but will take longer and likely end up costing more total.

In some cases, like with a single source with volume control, you could well end up with no pre-amp. Or if more than one source, possibly an inexpensive passive pre-amp that frees up money for elsewhere where truly needed.

01-27-15: Rockanroller
as far as budget , I am looking at maybe another 1500.

I said it before, and I'll say it again, integrated amp.
It will work better at your level, $1500, and a whole lot more.

With a limited budget and modest expectations as already established by your selection of speakers (I'm not suggesting that your Polks are a poor choice, Polk actually puts out some good speakers at a reasonable price) it would appear to me that you are locked into an integrated amp or a receiver. The big difference with a receiver and an integrated amp is the inclusion of a phono stage and an AM/FM tuner in most receivers. Additionally most receivers will also include tone controls, which if properly implemented and used, can compensate for some room problems (often no more than those caused by speaker placement often too close to a wall behind them), or source, or component matching issues. Line stages are very popular now but they can be rather limited in the functions they include, and usually cost more, but will probably offer you better sonic possibilities if you don't need the stuff I mentioned that a receiver can.



Now, for someone to comment further on integrated amps which you might be able to use, you will have to furnish some information about the speakers. Polk has many models and I'm sure that their nominal impedence and efficiency will differ substantially. You should supply the model number and these spec's.

It might also be helpful if posters were to know what your long range goals are, assuming you have them at all. Lots of folks are quite satisfied with modest systems and would rather spend their time and money on software once they have reached a certain level (and some want SOTA systems so long as they are on the cheap, so to speak:-). Unfortunately they don't!) Think about it, you could save a lot of time and money over the long haul by being realistic about what you really want or need, and how much money you can really chase after it.

therefore the question becomes: for a limited budget, I have looked and purchased vintage equipment because the idea was that the vintage equipment was better engineered/constructed that a lot of equipment made today, for 1/10 of the price of today equipment.
As far as the polk speakers,should I get other speakers? what do I need to look for. Just so everyone remember,at my age, my auditive range is probably 90 % of what it was when I was 20, so my ultimate goal is a sound that is clean, with an emphasis on mid range, and just enough bass to be balanced. Hope this make sense.
Speaker specs: Monitor 75 T/•1-inch (25mm) silk/polymertweeter/•Four 6-1/2-inch composite drivers/frequency response:30Hz - 25kHz /
thank you for your input.

We can't hear your system. Turn it up some! :^)

Seriously, have you done everything you can to get what you have set up best? Have you started to listen critically? How does it sound? Does it need to change? If so what are your goals for the sound that are not being hit currently?

Gotta know the goal first. Its hard to offer totally reliable advice over the internet without the ability to hear the subject. Even if someone had the same combo of gear in exactly the sme working order, every room is different.

One thing for sure, its best to try to always try to identify the weakest link make one change at a time, and take time to evaluate well before doing anything else.

Vintage gear may offer the best value in some cases but not always. It all depends.....