| | At the same price a pre/power or integrated |  |
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ears
 Join date: 2009-09-05
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Posts: 254
| | Subject: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Fri Dec 11, 2009 11:02 am | |
| If you have a set budget which would be the best way to buy to get a pre and power or just go for an integrated? does one have any advantage of the over? |
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flatearther
Join date: 2009-09-06
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Posts: 322
Location: home sweet home
| | Subject: Re: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:33 am | |
| Some think that a good integrated offers better value for the money over a pre and power, think about it because you are paying for two boxes with a pre and power whereas with an integrated amplifier you only need one box, plus you will need extra sets of cables that all add to the cost. |
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colin
Join date: 2009-10-10
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Posts: 633
Location: north lincs
| | Subject: Re: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:47 am | |
| You have the camp that says the single box must be better value for money, as you only pay for one box, one power supply, no I/c's etc. Then you have the ones who feel separate out the pre stuff, especially if it has a phono built in. I say listen, and let your ears choose. I have heard some fantastic integrated's, and some equally fantastic multi box set ups.
My amps come in three boxes, because that combo at the time was the best sound I could get for my pennies. |
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eddie spaghetti
 Join date: 2009-10-13
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Posts: 44
Location: Scotland
| | Subject: Re: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Sun Dec 13, 2009 1:14 pm | |
| I have a pre/power but the best setup i have heard so far has been an integrated. Sadly it was impractical / unavailable so i have my pre / power which i am very happy with.
The idea of a pre/power being better is just nonsense. Go by your ears and not the number of boxes. |
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JSBach
 Join date: 2009-10-10
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Posts: 1044
Location: Australia
| | Subject: Re: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Sun Dec 13, 2009 1:39 pm | |
| One reason I can see for needing a pre and power amp, rather than a decent integrated, is if you require the amplification of a low output moving coil cartridge. Moving coil amplification seldom benefits from being in close physical proximity to a power amp stage. If you're not running such a beast or you have a separate phono preamp then simply buy whatever sounds best running your system.
If you're tempted to splurge really silly money on interconnects then that's another reason for going the integrated route. |
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adam
 Join date: 2009-09-05
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Posts: 4276
Location: Spain
Age: 42
| | Subject: Re: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:38 pm | |
| I've heard excellent integrateds, excellent pre/powers, excellent monos, each has it's place, but I always seem to favour the mono block route, the sound always seems to be more spacious, better separation, bigger soundstage, depth etc, so pre with monos is my preferred method. |
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JSBach
Join date: 2009-10-10
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Posts: 1044
Location: Australia
| | Subject: Re: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Sun Dec 13, 2009 11:03 pm | |
| | adam wrote: | | I've heard excellent integrateds, excellent pre/powers, excellent monos, each has it's place, but I always seem to favour the mono block route, the sound always seems to be more spacious, better separation, bigger soundstage, depth etc, so pre with monos is my preferred method. |
One advantage of monoblocks is you can place one behind each speaker out of site and with very short cables connecting to the speakers. I'm a bit odd in that respect though - I don't like being able to see audio gear when I'm listening. If I could make my speakers invisible, I would. |
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ears
Join date: 2009-09-05
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Posts: 254
| | Subject: Re: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Mon Dec 14, 2009 12:24 pm | |
| | eddie spaghetti wrote: | but the best setup i have heard so far has been an integrated. Sadly it was impractical / unavailable
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What was it? why was it impractical? |
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stu
Join date: 2009-10-10
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Posts: 627
Age: 43
| | Subject: Re: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:59 am | |
| I'm curious too.   |
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eddie spaghetti
Join date: 2009-10-13
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Posts: 44
Location: Scotland
| | Subject: Re: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Tue Dec 15, 2009 6:35 pm | |
| | ears wrote: | | eddie spaghetti wrote: | but the best setup i have heard so far has been an integrated. Sadly it was impractical / unavailable
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What was it? why was it impractical? |
1) It was 3 foot long by 2 foot wide and weighed nearly 10 Stone and 2) it wasn't mine.
It did sound sublime though |
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Joker
Join date: 2009-09-07
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Posts: 1337
| | Subject: Re: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Tue Dec 15, 2009 7:11 pm | |
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eddie spaghetti
Join date: 2009-10-13
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Posts: 44
Location: Scotland
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Joker
Join date: 2009-09-07
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Posts: 1337
| | Subject: Re: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Tue Dec 15, 2009 7:43 pm | |
| By what you said  sounds more like a tank than a amplifier, how do you move it? |
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eddie spaghetti
Join date: 2009-10-13
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Posts: 44
Location: Scotland
| | Subject: Re: At the same price a pre/power or integrated Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:41 pm | |
| | Joker wrote: | | By what you said sounds more like a tank than a amplifier, how do you move it? |
With great difficulty. 2 man lift or 1 very strong man. |
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| | At the same price a pre/power or integrated | |
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