Sound quality impact - preamp vs power amp?

Pre-Amp

INMH;  The destruction of the preamp sound is far worse from the transformer of an amp, than is the miniscule interference from the preamp.   A good amp can sound no better than its preamp, but a bigd amp can mask a preamp's deficiencies with enough volume, at least for the general audio public.

Before this year, I would have argued about an amp being first. That was before my intro to Lexicon. I picked up a MC-8 V2.  The Rotel went into deep storage. I’ve never heard a sweeter, more beautiful sounding preamp. And the L7 modes are jaw dropping. I’ve always been a purest two channel guy but with my all JBL surround system (L100t, L1 with twin Harmon 740 subs), it’s absolutely beautiful. 

danvignau
like yur comment. I like separates.

maybe an integrated system where preamp is blended with the amp serves to achieve something of value in light of all the various components presumably matched a lot better.  So maybe this is a case why separates may not be a good idea.

The human equivalent of a dog chasing its tail.  No one wins.

Regardless of the price point, it’s all about balance.  Like anything else, it’s all about the weakest link.   So strive to have all the links (relatively speaking) the same strength. Its also about minimal returns.   For a mid-price system, A+ cables don’t make sense.   And I’ve found that regardless of specs (and the risk of overanalyzing specs), having an amp that matches up (sonically) with the speakers need to be objective #1, then an electronic match between a preamp that has the features you like with the amp is objective #2.   Then let your ears decide past that.   I have a ARC ref 5 pre-amp on one system that is a match in heaven with my Ref 75s3 amp, but I would never match it up with a First Watt SIT-3 I have in another system...