Separates or Integrated? What makes more sense?

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

For 10K, I think I would have to seriously consider separate’s. Hope to get lucky and find some used or demo Luxman gear. 

At $10K I would go integrated.  There are some integrateds that are as good if not better than their separates counterparts (like Luxman 509x vs c700 combo).  Huge bang for the buck.  I spent quite a while trying to find a good amp/pre combo and the ones I liked the most were well over that budget, but that’s me.

You also save in cables, not to mention spending a lot of time and money playing with pre to amp cable synergies.  Though that is part of the audiophile adventure.

Even on the very high end, I have heard some absolutely amazing integrateds, like Gryphon and Vitus, that at times can match, if not beat, separates.