Mike Anderson Wrote: > So I'd turn around and ask, "Why separates"? The only advantage I can > see is that you can swap out one part without changing the other. But > some of us like to buy gear and hold it rather than playing the musical > chairs game.
Why? Because often (although certainly not automatically, as always it depends on implementation) they can sound better. It may have something to do with putting the delicate low-level circuitry in a whole different box from the high-current speaker-manhandling circuitry (even though this isn't quite as critically important now as in the days of the universally-needed phono stage). It may have to do with a tendency for designers to assume that buyers of separates have higher expectations, and a higher system budget. And the swappable modularity itself needn't be thought of only as a way to allow a constant stream of equipment commerce; the ability to choose one's line stage and power amp stage on their individual merits may be useful even for one who intends to keep the pair for decades. You may even prefer a good power amp and some good-sounding but simple attenuators to an integrated's active line stage. So far, the very best sound I've heard has involved fancy separates, but I've heard compellingly musical sound from remarkably reasonable integrateds. Just as there can be fabulous-sounding pieces with switching power supplies, there are some jewel-like integrated amps. Back to the usual mantra: listen and decide. -- jbm0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ jbm0's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=3949 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=24396 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/audiophiles
