Are integrated amps technically better than separates?

I compared the Luxman 509x integrated vs the Luxman c900u and m900u. The separates were so much better. Now maybe I should have compared with the Luxman c700u and m700u to make it an apples-to-apples comparison. 

I compared the Hegel 360 with the top end Hegel separates and the separates were better.

Another thing I like about separates is that they can fit better into a room. The room is a huge part of the sound we get. I like short speaker wire and long XLR interconnects. I also like to keep the space between the speakers clear of a rack, just the amp(s) residing there.

I compared the Luxman 509x integrated vs the Luxman c900u and m900u.

Oh for peete's sake.  You compared a $9,500 integrated to a combination that runs ~ $40k. How does this tell you anything?

Well Pete, the Luxman integrated is all that Luxman have in there SS stable, so it seemed like the appropriate comparison. I did say that the Luxman 700 series maybe more appropriate comparison for the 509x. I was comparing units from within the same brand as with the Hegel comparison I made. What value does comparing from different manufactures make. I do not see the value of your logic comparing a similarly priced integrated from another brand with the Luxman or Hegel separates. The house sound is what I am comparing.

The 900 series is actually $15K each MSRP so using the new math the youngsters are doing these days makes it $30K.

I was going to buy the c900u preamp but I got something that was better for me at $3K. I guess it must not be as good since it is cheaper. This preamp is going to be paired with the Luxman m900u amp or something a little bit higher in cost (must be better then).

t I got something that was better for me at $3K. I guess it must not be as good since it is cheaper. This preamp is going to be paired with the Luxman m900u amp or something a little bit higher in cost (must be better then).

I've never supported the idea that cost alone ensured quality or desirability, in fact I've posted many a times that this was short sighted, so you are barking up the wrong poster's tree here.

However, I also think that if we are going to compare maybe something reasonably equivalent would be a better way to go.  An example for this might be the CJ CAV 50 vs. the PV 10 and a similar powered small tube amp.

Maybe not the OP's intent, but I'd phrase the question like this: If you have $10K to spend, will you find better performance with integradeds or separates? 

Here, if we are going reasonably close to cost, perhaps comparing the top Luxman pre and amp to the D'Agostino amp is a closer match?

https://www.whathifi.com/dan-dagostino/momentum-integrated-amplifier/review

While I haven't heard the integrated, I've heard the amps and they are really good, so I think this would be closer.

And this gets me back to the kind of original point, while I believe it is possible to design an integrated and pre that are as good or better than their separates, with no boundaries the comparisons become kind of meaningless.

"Oh, I once heard a pre/amp that sounded a lot better than X integrated" doesn't prove anything really. Of course, neither does cost.

Best,

E