Some I think a good integrated amp will in most cases out perform a pre/power of the same price class and in some cases outperform pre/power above their price range. Now if only they would add a really good phono amp as an option it would be perfect.
But that is one of my problems with audio gear. That you actually have to buy a whole new amp if you want some extra power,better PSU atc. I would like it if amps, CD players etc were more upgradeble.
Say an amp is standard 100W SS for $1000, then for $500 you can buy a external power supply for the power amp part. Then for another $500 you can buy a an other 100W board. So you can bridge the first one and second one for 200W per channel or you can have 4*100W for bi amping. For $500 add a DAC etc etc.
I just made up the prices but I think audio should be more modulair. I know a company that makes a DAC that comes standard with a RCA and a optical S/Pdif. But the DAC has 2 more slot. So you can also have a USB or AES/ebu or I2S etc input and if they don't have a standard card for like my CEC superlink they can make one. More companies should offer this kind of flexibility.
But that is one of my problems with audio gear. That you actually have to buy a whole new amp if you want some extra power,better PSU atc. I would like it if amps, CD players etc were more upgradeble.
Say an amp is standard 100W SS for $1000, then for $500 you can buy a external power supply for the power amp part. Then for another $500 you can buy a an other 100W board. So you can bridge the first one and second one for 200W per channel or you can have 4*100W for bi amping. For $500 add a DAC etc etc.
I just made up the prices but I think audio should be more modulair. I know a company that makes a DAC that comes standard with a RCA and a optical S/Pdif. But the DAC has 2 more slot. So you can also have a USB or AES/ebu or I2S etc input and if they don't have a standard card for like my CEC superlink they can make one. More companies should offer this kind of flexibility.