Separates w/internal phono vs Integrated + phono

I have no relevant experience, but I would doubt that the answer is anything other than it depends on the specific designs.

Also, I would expect that the answer will depend to some extent on how much power is required, and if there is a preference between tube and solid state for the power amplification function. Those factors will affect how much of the budget should be allocated to that function, and therefore how much will be left over for the preamplifier and phono stage functions, regardless of how they are integrated.

Regards,
-- Al

Dear Musichead: Obviously that depends on the quality of those audio items but everything the same I prefer a Phonolinepreamp + amplifier.

In a Phonolinepreamp the delicate cartridge signal has a short paths that with a stand alone PS and with lower degradation. An amplifier is almost always a compromise about sharing strong electromagnetic pollution and some kind of noises that contaminate the phonoline signal.

At the end in a Phonolinepreamp the output signal is a strong one and if the Phonoline preamp has a low output impedance then we can be sure that the audio signal that goes to the amp is in " pristine condition ".

My take is to take care the most for the cartridge signal that is the source where every degradation to that signal you can't recover any more.

regards and enjoy the music,
R.

It will also depend on how much you are interested in tweaking your sound. Separates allow you to dial the sound in to get what works best for you. You have more control over each part of the system.

I run a Manley Steelhead into the aux on my Musical Fidelity M3 Nuvista integrated amp, and also use the phono input on the amp. The Steelhead sounds better, as it should, but it is not night and day better, so much depends on the quality of the external phono preamp, the integrated amp and the phono board in the amp.

I understand there are lots of variable that can influence and change specific results but it's a very general question and given a range of equipment to work with (which I don't have access to) I could probably understand what path has the most potential. For example putting a $4k phono with $5K integrated vs $9K of separates (internal phono). Does the $5K integrated choke the benefit of the $4K phono (that is probably the question)? $5K should buy you a decent integrated, $4K a decent phono and $9K a decent separates.

Just hoping someone comes around that has challenged the two different approaches to allocating the $$.