Why the facination with integrated amps?

"The bicycle industry came up with the idea of compact frames (sloped top tubes for those that don't know bikes) so that instead of needing to manufacture ten frame sizes in 1 cm increments they could instead accommodate 98% of the population with a S, M, L, and XL. This behooved the industry, not the consumer. But consumers were sold on looks and false claims of increased rigidity and speed. Every three or four years the bicycle industry comes up with a new "flavor of the month" to seduce the gullible into ditching what they have and replacing it with the new "best". Aero, integrated brakes, disc brakes, elastomer suspended forks and rear-triangles etc. etc. etc."

fsonicsmith-

Riding a size appropriate compact frame is more efficient. The smaller frame is more rigid and lighter, and handling is more precise, compared to the antiquated traditional design. 

Just like audio, the price of admission can make your blood pressure rise. 
Here's a bargain model. No disc brakes. 
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/pinarello-dogma-f10-sram-red-etap-complete-road-bike-2017?ti=Ojox...

If I were buying at this level, I wouldn't even consider standard brakes. I've got the fitness level, but no wallet!

Figure another $2-3K for appropriate attire-you're not gonna be caught on something like that with a hack,el cheapo kit!

I went compact/carbon  13 years ago. Never going back to a traditional frame.
Still like an old steel Italian classic, but their heavy and sloppy(compared to something modern) 

The thing about the high end bike-you still have to pedal the damn thing!

"Is the fact that every major manufacturer and their sister is offering an integrated a sell-job by the industry?"

In fact, is the fact that every major manufacturer and their sister is offering separates a sell-job by the industry that tries to sell us two items instead of one? That may be a new thread on Audiogon.

Every manufacturer, or at least a significant number of them was offering an integrated years and years ago. They did not invent it this year, or the last. They have improved them over the decades that they have been selling integrated amplifiers and they would like to sell them now, too. You have to forgive them that. That is their job and not a global conspiracy.

As it is obvious from this thread and for a number of reasons, many people are welcoming the opportunity to buy an integrated amplifier.

Someone messed up my bicycle. It clearly says XL but has no sloped top tube.

I have been using integrated amps for years,good ones,I am not missing anything by using them and I am saving something and those in the know,know...I got separates also,the only benefit of separates is you have more to do and as "we" know some people like to tweak more than to listen...just saying.

In one way an interesting topic, since there seems to be so many views and opinions about the pros and cons with integrated amps... 
On the other hand, it is an irrelevant topic, because the real issue here must be if an integrated amp regarding sound quality can match (or even exceed) a separated pre- and poweramp if they have the same price tag...? My answer is YES, they sure can!

If you look at some of the best and most ambitious integrated amps out there, for example the Gryphon Diablo 300, Mark Levinson No 585, Mcintosh MA9000, Musical Fidelity Nuvista 600/800 and even the Marantz PM-10, all of them getting raving reviews in Audiophile magazines, can of course match and be even better than  separated combos in the same price range. The sound quality from an amplifier doesn´t improve just by separating all the units in two or three different boxes, It´s more about the individual components inside and how well those components work together to create the best possible sound. Isolation between different components is important, but short circuitry is important too.

Most separated amps are in a totally different price range and it would not be fair to compare a $10-15k integrated amp with a pre- and poweramp for more than $40-50k... On the other hand, putting everything in one box makes the production cheaper in the first place! Like someone recently mentioned, most people look for most "Bang for the buck", and integrated amps gives them just that and sometimes even moore... I´ve had several integrated amps over a nearly 30-35 year span and all I can say is that I probably had to spend twice the money each time to actually hear any noticeable difference. If I would have chosen separeted units it would have been even moore expensive. 

If you have more money than you can spend, of course go for a separated amp, believe it would produce better sound than any existing integrated amp, and be happy! But IMHO you are only fooling yourself!

I’m surprised no one has mentioned that Mark Levinson just introduced NOT 1 but 2 new Integrated models with full on multi media control..I am sorely tempted to sell a kidney for the $7000.00 entry fee...