Separates or Integrated? What makes more sense?

Me personally,I prefer separates. I frequently like to switch amps,or preamps. With an integrated,I wouldn’t be able to get a different flavor without having to purchase another integrated.  The ability to switch things up,scratches that itch. 

hiphiphan - I sold my house and the buyers demanded my whole two channel system as a condition of the sale.  It is an extremely long story as to why I did not buy Raven again,  Let's just say I was stupid and got talked into buying Mola Mola Kaluga and Makua Class D amps sight unheard.  Given I had to start over with a whole new two channel system I purchased the amps before the speakers - another mistake.  I am building a new house and never used the Mola Mola Amps.  Once I decided on Viking Acoustic Grande Voix Horn speakers, I needed to sell the Mola Mola Amps.  I tried and tried on US Audio Mart and Audiogon and could not sell.  I ended up trading them into a dealer for Canary Audio Grand Reference Two Mono Amps and the C1800 Pre-Amp.  They are being built as I speak.  Trust me, I wish I never purchased the Mola Mola because I would have purchased the Raven Spirit 300B mono amps.  

I prefer separates for flexibility. I believe consumers should be able to choose source components to their liking. I prefer separate phono, separate DAC, separate tuner. But even if I were to go integrated, I would avoid one with a digital component in it. For me, a DAC should always be separate. Advances in digital audio come so fast, in no time a DAC becomes obsolete. I don’t want to live with the thought that I have an expensive gear with a now obsolete component. It would significantly affect resale value too. (With that, I don’t like the idea of, just for an example, PS Audio’s new Stellar Strata.)

10aK ?

 I would go separates!

 Integrated is just fine,
 only reason I went with separates is “statues”

 monos blocks, preamp, CD player is a high class statement is all.     I’ve always been poor, cruddy pay, poor job!

 Once I started making money, I went with separates!
  No other reason than it’s what the upper class does/has.  
 I may be a “keep up w the Jones’s” is guy.  
  BUT,......ONCE I WENT SEPERATES,  NEVER LOOKED BACK, THE SOUND, SEPERATION BETWEEN CHANNELS, ETC ETC, SOLD ME.

 IF UNCAN AFFORD SEPERATES, GO ALL IN!

MI WONT GO BACK, MONOBLOCKS, GOOD PREAMP, SPEAKERS, ....GOOD SOURCE, ALL MAKES IT WORTH WHILE.

No right answer other than you must go listen to the components. Period. End of story.
Today I listened to Primaluna Evo 400 integrated. Very nice. Then I listened to the Evo 400 Preamp with the Evo 400 Amp, major difference in soundstage, black background and tonality.
I've heard the Ayon Triton III integrated and it sounds every bit as good as the Primaluna separates. To me.
By the way, there's no mandate to spend anywhere near $3k on an interconnect(s).

Goodluck and most of all, have fun