Separates vs. Integrated

Separate components will always offer the potential of superior sound, but as a practical matter the better integrated amps give up little if any to comparably priced separates.

The main disadvantage of separates is the interconnects required to link them up. Interconnects can only degrade the music signal and even the most expensive and presumably best performaning interconnects can only corrupt the signal least. The elimination of these signal degraders is a big advantage for integrated components. Their elimination also represents a large financial savings too.

Another advantage of integrated is that they cut down on the number of variables in a system. The importance of system synergy is well known and integrated components have a high degree of synergy built in.

In the past few years Audio Research, YBA, JRDG, Conrad-Johnson, BAT, EAR, Pathos, Mark Levinson, Red Rose, Musical Fidelity, Krell, Manley, VAC, Cary, Mesa-Boogie, Chord, McIntosh, Accuphase, Ayre and Tenor have all released integrated amplifiers. While they may not be appropriate for everybody, they certainly are having an positive impact on high end audio.

Let's talk money. For purposes of comparison, I'll use published MSRPs.

A Rogue Audio 66 preamp magnum and a Rogue 88 magnum power amp is roughly $3,000.

On the other hand, a Cary Audio SLI 80 runs about, well, wudda ya know, $3,000.

So which is better?

Nobody's mentioned vinyl as a reason for going separate. I wanted a first-class phono stage and I was able to get one in the preamp I chose ( originally a Copland CTA-301, now a Klyne SK-5A ).

The alternative was an integrated with an outboard phono stage. I considered a Vecteur amp with an Audiomat, but the value-for-money calculation came down on the other side.

Except for the cost, I don't understand the 'no interconnect' as a plus for integrated amps. Is there nothing connecting the sections within a one-chassis? And there are those who rewire the inside of thier components with wire from ICs. Its an inconsequential debate, but I think the no-ic-plus is a farce.

I think that the power amp with integrated passive volume controls, ala Berning and Tenor, is starting to take hold. For those who don't need input switching, this is a real money saver. However, personally I would rather go the other way than this thread suggests, and go with monoblock amps and monoblock preamps, all with separate individual power supplies for total segregation of the signal and power supplies. In the phono, I'l like to keep that format, with 2 mono phono sections with individual power supplies like the Aesthetix IO. I feel that 2 completely separate mono systems, that join only at the cartridge, or the CD player is the ideal way to go, given good design criteria and execution of the products.
With integrateds, there is the inevitable sharing of circuitry that will degrade the potential maximum sound quality produced.