integrated or separates...on a $1200 price point?

New I would go integrated.

Used I would go separates but be prepared to be patient and spend a lot of time checking here and ebay for good deals.

Mark

Thanks for all the advice. I am still saving up, I don't know how long I can last before I pull the trigger on some new equipment.

I picked up a B&K Reference 5 s2 pre for $400.00, used and a B&K Reference 200.2 s2 amp for $650 used. I think it works quite well with my Paradigms, but don't know how it would do with the B&W, but I imagine it would be pretty good.

The DK integrated are a hybrid and give you the solid state slam with a tube preamp built into one package. A great bargain used.

Separates give you flexibility in mixing and matching while integrateds give you simplicity and convenience in a one-box. The main advantage of separates is when huge power-hungry speakers are used and huge amount of power is required to drive these speakers. That is where massive and heavy power amps and monoblocks come into the equation. If your speakers are efficient and relatively easy to drive, I would say integrateds are the way to go. There are many good quality integrateds these days that can give you comparable if not better performance compared to separates.

With the B&W 685, I would think that a good integrated might fit your needs better if simplicity of a one-box is important to you. Not only you save space for an additional piece of equipment in the preamp but you save on an additional pair of interconnect and power cord.