Are integrated amps technically better than separates?

erniesch4 posts05-19-2020 8:54pm

It’s so interesting that folks think they need a high quality power chord and expensive interconnects. Never mind that just inside the wall is the cheapest copper lines the contractor could buy. It’s laughable. Just inside your loudspeaker is usually a thin generic cable connection between the crossover and drivers.
You need expensive cables because it makes you feel better.

Expensive no, adequate yes.. Feel better, never..

PC and interconnects can cost a few bucks and a little time too.

It can almost make up for some of the inadequacies, you pointed out..

Glad you noticed why every little bit helps....Your learning..

Took a while for me too...

Regards

Not the quality of the cable in the walls argument yet again. I dont know why it is such a stretch to understand that any improvement made before or after the AC outlet helps. Improve what you can where you can. 

Also why in the world would the power output of an amplifier or integrated have anything to do with this argument. Am I missing something?

Hi @atmasphere ,

Each amplification stage, capacitor and cable add distortions and noise.

All those gain stages are in an integrated amp too. Usually though you have a greater chance of lower noise with separates since crosstalk and intermodulations from the other channel won’t exist.

But pream has to have output stage that drives interconnect and relatively low impedance (compared to tube input inside amp) of power amplifier input. The interstage driver in integrated amplifier is much easy to design and doesn’t have to have a feedback and output transformer or big value capacitor or sophisticated DC cancelling circuit.

But pream has to have output stage that drives interconnect and relatively low impedance (compared to tube input inside amp) of power amplifier input. The interstage driver in integrated amplifier is much easy to design and doesn’t have to have a feedback and output transformer or big value capacitor or sophisticated DC cancelling circuit.

The first statement is true. The second needs more explanation; as far as I can see its false. Regarding the first statement, over the years I've found that a lot of the improvements I've been able to make in our gear have related to power supplies. Arguably that's one of the trickier things that goes on in an integrated amp; IME it outweighs many of the other circuit topography issues! I totally get the connectivity issue- that is an advantage. But in most cases, its not *enough* of an advantage.

Agree with “erniesch", his statement is 100% correct: "Never mind that just inside the wall is the cheapest copper lines the contractor could buy.” Last two feet power cable 10 or 18 AWG difference is drop in the ocean, if power lines inside house are bad.