Make way for the future....

Totally untrue separate are always better, the key is how well executed the integrated amplifier is . There are advantages such as less power cords and interconnects,fuses  ,that is always a plus
my Coda  CSIB integrated is as good if not better then most separates even up to2 x the price. This has a Separate-pure class A preamplifier ,Huge 120 amps on demand , a 3kva potted transformer over 80k in capacitance  , compare that with Any amplifier under $8k,  and direct coupled-to  the thick trace Copper gold circuit boards . Most younger guys don’t even know These are ex engineers from Threshold that Worked with Nelson Pass and in business now 35+ years. Stereo times has a Great current review on it ,it’s a Steal at under $7k, and 3 power choices in % of 1st watts in pure class A.
 

No doubt advancements in technology has greatly boosted what can be done in an integrated amp in regards to overall performance compared to years past.  I am a believer these days.   Not always the case in years past. 

This discussion is timely for me. I have a McIntosh 6900 integrated amp that I purchased on Audiogon in 2007. It sounds great. In 2018, Paul Seydor of TAS was “besotted”   by McIntosh’s then new C52 preamp. It has now been succeeded by the C53 (again just reviewed by Seydor) which is the same except for the latest digital components and an HDMI capable of taking in an eArC capable TV s audio. I had been thinking about the C52 (and now C53) but lacked the funds to spring for one. Seydor describes the preamp as completely neutral – it won’t varnish bad recordings but neither will it exacerbate what makes them bad. He said the engineers at McIntosh would rather eat worms than distort. I have two-fold questions for the forum:

1.           By having the C53 take over the preamp function of the 6900 Integrated, would this be a superfluous exercise and waste of money? With all things being equal in my system (good source, good speakers, good cables) and sourcing with the best recordings, is the preamp function of the 6900 good enough that there would be no noticeable sonic improvement by supplanting it with the C53?

2.           There has been a C53 listed for sale on Audiogon for some time by a dealer who took it in on trade. It is in its 2nd 30 day run with no takers. I asked the dealer why his customer traded in such a recent model. His answer was: “You buy McIntosh for the blue meters. Performance is never great”. Do you folks agree with that assessment?

I have swapped a lot of amps and pre-amps but I have never replaced an integrated pre-amp section with another pre-amp. 

The BlueSound Power one 2i has been around quite a while and does much of the same thing, minus the pretty screen that you can't read from listening position and at a fraction of the price, if you're into that sort of thing. Granted, the DAC probably isn't as good the one in the Cambridge.
Might be nice in the kitchen, but I don't need a $3000 all in one to listen to while I prepare meals and clean up afterwards. For that I've got a Bluesound Pulse... not perfect, but streams independently or in perfect sync over gigabyte ethernet from a node 2i in the livingroom and is controlled by a phone app.