Amp/Preamps vs. High end AV Receivers

@caphill
+1

I've not found that inexpensive speakers mean that there isn't a benefit from better electronics. They seem to benefit quite a lot.
Regardless of what is being played- HT, music videos or 2 channel, my prior comments apply regardless. In a nutshell, **all** single-box audio systems are compromised in order to get everything in one box. The more the separate aspects of a HT system are broken out to separate components, the more **potential** exists for vast improvement.

Back in 1999, Stereophile, at a Stereophile Show in NYC, set up two Home Theater rooms side by side. The two rooms were identical (being in a hotel) and the video equipment was identical as well. One used a regular home theater receiver/processor, the other used separates. A poll that they took showed that 90% of people visiting both rooms thought that the room with the high end audio system had a better picture!

When you have separates, the equipment does not have to share power supplies. This reduces intermodulations and for that reason alone allows for better sound.

But there are additional benefits- frequently separates have better power supplies, better heatsinks (in the case of transistor amps), usually better quality parts and overall better circuits.