I remember when I was first shopping for audio, looking for my first "real" system. I asked the sales guy why I would but a separate preamp and amp and not a receiver. He said he would demonstrate.
He played a song on the receiver and then the separates, (Tracy Chapman Fast Car) that started with some simple guitar and vocals, and then a sort of crescendo with the full band coming in. I remember the biggest difference I heard was that with the receiver the crescendo sounded good but all the sounds blended together. With the separates I could hear all the voices and instruments much more distinctly. The rest, as they say, is history.
He played a song on the receiver and then the separates, (Tracy Chapman Fast Car) that started with some simple guitar and vocals, and then a sort of crescendo with the full band coming in. I remember the biggest difference I heard was that with the receiver the crescendo sounded good but all the sounds blended together. With the separates I could hear all the voices and instruments much more distinctly. The rest, as they say, is history.