seperates over integrated. Why?


This is a general question, raised by an experience today.I own a Tube Technology Seer pre, and today turned down one of their integrated amps at $700. I'm running home made triode monoblocks through the preamp with Fi Phy and Ear 834p and the preamp's phonos, and One thing audio Quad ESL57's. All these years of gradually changing gear, and thinking about cables, and all the different bits of gear, just buying an integrated sure sounds good right now. The Tube Technology pre's phono stage is up there with the other 2, only being inferior during exhaustive ABing. So whats the fuss? All those cables degrading the signal with seperates, or "it all in together" integrateds vibrating and cross-talking the signal away? I ASK THIS CONFUSEDLY.
gilbodavid
Gilbodavid:

It's like I said at the very beginning of your thread ... In the end, it really is about what is important to you and what you are willing to spend and tolerate to play your tunes.

Ultimately, I buy what sounds the best to me. I know what I am willing to spend for a component (usually new) and I look to respect my budget. Compared to others on Agon, I live in the mid-fi world. I'm OK with that. I do make the occasional mistake when I buy something over the net without doing my homework, I just try to make it not so costly. It is why I am always looking for bargains and close outs. I also accept the compromises that either my hearing, my furniture set-up, my cats' climbing tendencies, and my wife's feelings add to the equation.

I have heard lots of equipment and easily 3/4 of it does very little for me and that includes some of the most touted brands here ... Vandersteen, Wilson Watt Puppies, Thieles, B&W's to name a few. I am off ... possibly, but as the Romans would say ... "de gustibus non disputandum est" (to each his own).

Enjoy the trip.

Regards, Rich
i have had separates and downsized my system with a very stable Chord integrated amp and have never looked back. it depends on budget etc., but for 5k and below there are many integrated amps on the market which can compete sonically with separates...
Thanks for your response Rarl, and it feels like a sane voice. i also agree with you Dgplo. Thanks, david