user poll on seperates vs integrated

@chrisryanhorner

Ok .. A year plus ago my budget was 15-16K. I purchased a McIntosh MA-12000, but suffered with room placement in that the equipment rack is between speakers, whereas a preamplifier and separate power amps would have allowed for the equipment rack along a side wall and balanced interconnects to the power amplifiers. Separates with added interconnects would have been of higher cost, but the dealer suggested that performance was also improved.  I’m happy with what I have,  but should have considered separates.

At that price many good sounding options either way.

Depends on what you value. Convenience/space savings versus flexibility.

Also what features you need or value

With integrated devices the professionals have integrated things for you. If you do it, that job is yours. Results can vary from top notch to not so great depending on how well you do the needed integration. That requires some technical knowledge to get it done right. Trial and error can be a long road that can  lead anywhere.

I've had both integrated and separate and both have their positives and negatives. Integrated amps can be very high quality and sound very good depending on what you get. Advantages are saving space and not having to buy an interconnect to connect the separates. If you normally upgrade your power cords, then you will also have that savings. Also integrated amps are built with synergy in mind so no worries about matching a preamp to an amplifier.

Separate amps and preamps have their own dedicated power supplies and chassis and have less likelihood of interfering with each other. Also, like others have said you have the added flexibility of only replacing one of them for an upgrade. Separates often sound better but this is highly depended on the comparison made and equipment. 

willywonka: thanks for the reply.

regarding synergy vs flexibility, do you think there are real benefits of using an entire system from a single company, since the units were likely all designed with each other in mind, as opposed to picking and choosing a preamp from one place, a power amp from another, etc? 

i ask because i know that nordost, for example, explicitly states that their products positive qualities are enhanced by being used as a complete set, sort of a "more than the sum of its parts" thing, which i think they refer to as a "loom"? 

I don't know how much of that is marketing to get you to buy their gear vs verifiably accurate, and if the same goes for other components.

With integrated a lot depends on the manufacture. Some manufactures make great amps paired with so  so pre amps integrated together. I have found this true in many cases by using an external pre amp and bypassing the integrated pre amp, case in point are Line Magnetic integrated's.

With separates you can taylor the sound that you are after. What might seem like a mismatch might put you in audio heaven.