Integrated vs pre-power

Hi,

I have just upgraded my amp from the old Nakamichi SR2 receiver to a Rotel RA-980BX Integrated (100W pc). I am just a beginner in the hi-fi audio world and the prices of these components are pretty high on my place. Anyway I think this choice is not a bad one for a beginner. Anybody has any comment / review on this amp please post it.

Ya...but then they dont have an integrated amp equivalent...
We are talking about mid priced budget...where you can afford a decent pre-power vs Good integrated....
Once you move up the chain...then seperates take the lead as you can afford the best of the seperates with those kind of budgets.
The Plinius combo you have mentioned falls into the high-end category, where there is very little scope for compromise.

I'm curious to know as to which make/model speakers would you recommend with this Plinius combo? Thanks.

Hi therider,
My take on this is different. Advantages of integrated is lower price and convenience of one box solution, pre/ powers will outperform in every other aspect.

Example is a Nad 372 VS Nad C162/272. Latter would be hands down better but at a 50% price increase. Now at that elevated price point u may get an integrated that may outperform it. Same applies to even the Primare I 30 vs the Primare Pre 30/A 30.2.

Am sure the plinius pre/powers are superior to their integrateds too as are the Bryston duo. I also beg to differ on the plinius. I know they are rated sky high but i heard the plinius 9100 in Uk at a dealers with Dyna Contour 1.4 and the sound did not blow me away or any such emotion.In fact when he switched to the primare pre/power(i requested) which was cheaper than the plinius integrated i was pretty impressed(needless to say cdp and cabling being constant)

Now therider this would apply to all music styles. Having said that if u have a sensitive speaker, in a moderately sized room an integrated can satisfy u.

I would conclude by saying a good integrated may outperform a pre/power at the same price point but i would seriously doubt it can outperform pre/powers at twice the price as by then u would not be in the budget pre/power league but better and thats where the seperates start to punch way above the integrateds.
Regards

I agree with Dinyaar.
Very recently a friend of mine in Delhi bought the Dynaudio focus 140.
He auditioned them with an oldMcCormack DNA 225, Plinius 9200 integrated, Primare I20 & the Krell 400xi.

The plinius & the Mc just could’nt drive the dyna’s well enough. Though Primare sounded good but it also lost control at above mid volumes.
The krell did the job perfectly for him.

I’ve heard the Plinius & the Krell on various tannoys, which are an easy load as compared to the dyna’s.
The plinius was musical, but the krell drove the same speakers better.

I guess an amp with good dynamic headroom, control, low impedance drive & balance in sound etc is more imp than just a debate on Pre/Power Vs Integrated.

Hearing is believing.

I'd add MF 3.5 to your *must audiotion* list. A little further up and Krell KAV-400xi is a beast. Not a great VFM but yeah, one to watch out for. And the final word, Sudgen master Class. No idea of Plinius, though I hear a lot of good things about them.

I agree with the above. For loads like DynAudios, you need something like Krell and not Plinius.

But the other side of argument can be "quality vs quantity".

You never know what suits a particular person's ears better

Yes! It’s a vicious circle.

You should try politics Dinyaar Its been a while since I came across such a complicated yet smart statement. It took me sometime to comprehend - only to realize that it doesn't conclude at all.

Hi,

HAHAHA nice one unleash. May be when the markets dive even more and i have no work at all.
Basically in the last para i was disagreeing with cyrus when he said an integrated can sometimes humble a pre/power costing twice the amount.
Regards

Pre-power is the way to go only after a level. At budget level it won;t help matters at all. Integrated under INR 50k will always beat separates at the same price level (cost of pre+power being under 50k).

But if someone were to spend 50k plus per component, separates would be a better idea. But even then, the rule will apply to an extent. Equivalently priced Integrated would be better than the separates.