Amp vs Preamp which is more important?

As a Tube guy, I like integrated.  Not sure that is the same in SS since there are less good integrated choices.  but a good integration ensures harmony.

Jerry

The sound signal is your car and pre amplifier and amplifier are two part of highway. We will experience traffic problems when  lane numbers shrinked, that happens with the signal. It could be that the pre is more important, it could be that the amplifier is more important depending how good the other one. General speaking, the weak one decide.

Once my system was no longer entry level and I was at the point in which the speakers I owned I considered my final pair I started what I called the final upgrade circle. I then upgraded the piece of equipment that was lowest in both cost and where they sat in that brands line. Yes cost can be a determiner. The higher you move the more you must spend to hear significant jumps. Eventually you begin to hit your maximum dollar amount you will want to spend on individual components and this starts that last circle that will level them all so hopefully one component does not hold your system back. The most interesting were the amplifier and preamplifier upgrades, My last two components that needed to be upgraded. These upgrades was where I realized how incredibly important those two components were. They really brought the sound to a level I never thought I would have been able to obtain

With all the above said some one mention the preamplifier partially due to its difference in cost to the amplifier. I agree with that analysis and it was proved to me when I went out on a limb and purchase my first to me really expensive preamplifier that was significantly more expensive than my amplifiers and heard what a difference it made. I believe if you are near the end of your upgrading purchase go for the preamplifier before the amplifier.

The only thing at this point that will be upgraded will be my DAC and streamer and only due to some unknown changes in music delivery and technology changes in those areas. This is not to say I have the best system around but I hit my limit in what I can spend and am very satisfied with the system’s sound. Took years like most people.

I am no audiophile by any stretch with the gear you guys are used to, but I have a new friend that is... He sold me a pair of Zu Dirty Weekend speakers he bought new in 2018. When I went to audition these speakers at his house, I was amazed at the gear he had laying around and or in boxes. His one listening area he had a pair of $12000 speakers, Tyler Acoustic Woodmere II's that Tyler built special for my friend, and delivered personally back in the day. He had a $10,000+ tube amp just sitting on a furniture dolly, various other amplifiers on furniture dollies, and gear from manufactures I have never heard of. 

He has three systems, and get this, he is running PS Audio Stellar Gaincell preamps in all three, along with the Parasound A23+ amplifiers. No external DACs, he uses the one in the Gaincell. 

I bought the Zu speakers from him, brought them home and hooked them up to my system, Denafrips Venus II 12th DAC, their Athena Pre, Thallo amp and I had two Emotiva XPA-2 amps, one original and one DR2. It sounded like crap with the Zu's... Currently own the KLH Model 5's. 

I talked to my buddy, he has owned all of that same Denafrips gear, has Alvin's cell number. He sold them all. Go get yourself a Gaincell and A23+ kid... And that is what I did. 

I found a used Gaincell, and purchased a new Parasound A23+ and cannot believe how these two pieces work together, even the DAC in the Gaincell bested my Venus and Athena. Four sets of ears agreed when we did an amp/speaker shootout here at the house. The A23+ and Gaincell won hands down with the Zu's. I have the same amount of money invested in this system now as I do that one Venus DAC.

What is my point? I don't know, but my new buddy with tens of thousands of dollars in gear laying around his house decided that this is what sounded the best to his ears. He jokes about it when looking around at all of the gear he has just sitting there, that this is the system that does it for him. A discontinued entry level preamp and an inexpensive more or less consumer amplifier. Who would have thunk? 

@localnet

Great experience for you. Our journeys to audio nirvana is individual. Our systems are composed of a bunch of components in our audio space. We have different values and different homes. It is a journey that we must make ourselves… but external input can be helpful… but not always.

There are gear oriented folks that really enjoy swapping out stuff. There are a lot of ways to enjoy this pursuit. Me, I do slow methodical advances based on lots of research. Each component has had a huge amount of reaseach put into it… and the expenditure was at the max I could make. After 50 years, I couldn’t be happier at the outcome. Each of the last dozen purchases have had exactly the right effect and result in my system. I guess 40 years of intent study have had their value.