I have always preferred integrateds...just made sense to me.
But my last two systems have been separates and no way I’m going back.
Since we’re all being theoretical:
I think the signal is just too small and delicate coming into the preamp section. Any sins committed here are just going to be amplified (pun) downstream.
My preamp has two very small transformers for dealing with the signal appropriately. The amp has 3 big transformers.
Yes you can shield like crazy, add extra dedicated transformers all in the same box. But just like separate phono preamps...and monoblocks there are so many ways you can do better when you can isolate some functions.
I’m sure there are some integrateds that trounce some separates. Just like there are some stereo amps that outperform some monoblocks...but ‘that’s probably not the norm’ all thing being apples to apples.
...theoretically speaking.
But my last two systems have been separates and no way I’m going back.
Since we’re all being theoretical:
I think the signal is just too small and delicate coming into the preamp section. Any sins committed here are just going to be amplified (pun) downstream.
My preamp has two very small transformers for dealing with the signal appropriately. The amp has 3 big transformers.
Yes you can shield like crazy, add extra dedicated transformers all in the same box. But just like separate phono preamps...and monoblocks there are so many ways you can do better when you can isolate some functions.
I’m sure there are some integrateds that trounce some separates. Just like there are some stereo amps that outperform some monoblocks...but ‘that’s probably not the norm’ all thing being apples to apples.
...theoretically speaking.