2. amps-preamps
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Integrated used as Preamp?

Can anyone comment on using an integrated amp solely for its preamp as opposed to buying a pure preamp? Reason I ask is because I have been eyeing a few Musical Fidelity preamps (such as the A3cr and A3.2) for a while but the integrated versions go for cheaper than the pure preamps. Why spend $150 more to NOT get the amp inside? I don't need the amp but why spend the extra money? Is there anything APPRECIABLE one should expect to lose from using the integrated instead of a pure preamp?
jnehma1
markphd
667 posts
 
I don't think your question has an absolute answer. Like all things, it depends on the particular units being considered. If you have an inexpensive or poorly designed integrated, the pre-amp section will not be as good as a stand alone unit. If you have a top notch integrated, then some money and design effort would have been put into the pre-amp section. There is no reason why it couldn't perform as well as comparably priced stand alone units.

However, in any case, I would expect the pre-amp section of an integrated to perform better when the integrated is used solely as a pre-amp. This is because the power supply would be dedicated to the pre-amp rather than being spread out over the pre-amp and power amp sections.

The answer in your specific case with the Musical Fidelity units would be to stop "eyeing" them and start "listening" to them :)
mimberman
299 posts
 
I agree with Markphd. What else is in the chain? What are you looking for? Why just MF?
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
I can think of a few integrateds that have good line stages, such as the Cambridge 640A and pretty much anything from Musical Fidelity.

Another plus is that you could biamp with the Cambridge or Musical Fidelity if you decided to make use of the power section after all.
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