Power/pre amp vs Ingegrated vs Receiver for 2-channel/5-channel

[OzzieAudiophile]

I thought it was about time these setups were all compared, discussed in response to my
poll "what kind of system do you have set up" etc..

It appears most of the peeps who have both, prefer the 2-channel. There's a few logical
reasons for that, IF you remove the reason "I prefer to have 2 speakers in the room
rather than 5, regardless on the quality of the imaging".

Let's start between Pre/power vs Integrated.

Pre/power advantages :

1. You have more upgradability options in the sense if you upgrade your speakers which
require a power amp more powerful to drive it, you can just simply upgrade the power
amp, and not necessarily the pre-amp.

2. If you find you need either more inputs, or new types of inputs, you can simply
upgrade your pre-amp, which is "usually" cheaper than the power amp.

3. Power amps usually have superior surge protection/clipping protection than their
integrated amps equivalents within the same brand.

4. The best poweramps for each brand usually are able to provide more power, and are
more efficient in driving your speakers, than the equivalent integrated amp.

5. If the preamp goes down and has to be taken away for repair, you still have at least
the power amp to drive the speakers, and it's 1 input to take in 1 source. If the integrated
amp goes, you have no system to listen music with, unless you have a spare receiver/amp
lying around.

6. More chance of pre and/or power amps to be "fully balanced", if it is an option you
must have.

Advantages of Integrated vs pre/power

1. It is in general cheaper

2. It saves space, the integrated usually is thinner height wise than the same brands
power amp

3. Cheaper to upgrade as 1 integrated amp costs less than the 2 components.

4. More cost effective option if you have a tight budget.

Advantages of amps vs Receivers

1. The best amps for each brand usually are able to provide more power, and are
more efficient in driving your speakers, than the equivalent receiver.

2. In some instances you can get more than 2x the power of 1 power amp if you have
the option to monoblock them, hence getting 2 power amps (1 to drive each speaker).
(i.e. instead of 200 w 200 w the manual may say it will provide 250 w 250 w).
More receivers do not have the possibility of mono-blocking, as opposed to receivers
that do have that option.

3. Power amps usually have superior surge protection/clipping protection than most
receivers which have little to none.

4. The circuitary for amps in general concentrate on keeping the signal as true, and
natural to the original source as possible. The theory of the build of receivers usually
concentrates on "processing", using algorithims to modify the output. I.e. sound
like church, like a staduim. Receivers have "processor" turn on/off, if you turn it OFF
you will bypass all the processing, tonal, bass adjustments, and receive the the signal
as "true" as possible, plus the receiver does less work, technicially speaking it should
last longer.

5. More chance of pre and/or power amps to be "fully balanced", if it is an option you
must have. Receivers do not have balanced connections.

Advantages of Receivers over amps

1. In general the receivers come with "more" inputs and connection types than
pre amps.

2. The top end receivers are cheaper than the top end amps.

3. A higher proportion/much more models in the market, have recivers with HDMI than
amps.

4. A higher proportion/much more models in the market, have receivers with more than
2 pairs of speaker connections than amps.

5. Offers the surround sound via pro-logic decoding on condition that the original disc was
encoded in the first place.


If you really wish to achieve the best of both worlds, you will need specific equipment
and connect them in a certain way.

1. Speakers with excellent imaging. Your fronts have to be the highest quality of speakers
out of your set.

2. Obviously the other 4+ speakers so you can actually achieve 5.1, etc.

3. A receiver or surround sound pre-amplifier which has HDMI inputs

4. A source, DVD, or universal disc player which has HDMI out

5. A source, DVD, CD, or universal disc player which has Balanced out, or as high-end
quality CD and/or SACD player as possible.

6. As a general rule, allocate 10% of your funds of your overal system towards cabling,
interconnects, speaker cables, and speaker plugs. I.e. just don't use the $2 cables
that came with the original box, plugged into a 5K amp !!

7. Make sure your left and right fronts (at the very least), are the exact length.
i.e. if the distance between your amp/receiver of your left speaker is 5 feet, and your
right to your amp is 10 feet, make sure BOTH cable distances are 10 feet.

8. Read the instruction manual in terms of connecting cables, and using specific
functions. Pay close attention to the "recommended" space that the components
need to breathe, do NOT dismiss them. You wonder why some people whinge about
their units overheating. Doofus :P

9. Will need a power amp, pre-amp, and receiver, pre amp "may" need 2 balanced ins.
It is ideal for the pre-amp to have the 5.1

10. The pre connects to power via balanced connection, and on condition that both are
"Fully Balanced".

11. Connect CD/SACD, universal player(s) to the pre-amp using Balanced connection.
On condition that the CD/SACD player is also fully balanced, then you have met your
condition to maximise the quality of sound from CD/SACD sound to your speakers
for 2-channel sound.

12. Connect the receiver or surround sound preamp to the pre-amp instead of connect the receiver/surround sound preamp directly to the power amp.

13. Connect the sub, the surrounds, and rears to the receiver or surround sound preamp.
This will take care of the multi-channel/surround part of your setup.

14. Get a sound meter, to position all equipment to it's optimal positions in relation to
the listening room.

15. Adjust the settings on amps, and receivers to compensate for speakers in your
system that are much less powerful than your fronts (or other speakers), and to
compensate for uneven distances etc.

16. Do not automatically dismiss your set up or system if any of your equipment has
NOT been broken in, yet. I.e. some components may take 24, 72, 150+ hours to break
in before they sound much better.

17. Make sure you use GOOD source discs, CDs, and DVDs. Don't use mp3's as a
reference as they are compressed files. Use a SACD as well, test the multichannel
layers as well. I will write a new post for recommendations.

The KEY is the front end speakers and the power amp. It MUST be able to provide much
more than enough power to drive your fronts. It needs lots of reserves for the rest of
the components, the better quality the fully balanced power amp is, you will get closer
to the best quality sound.

The rest of the components are further away from the 'heart' of the system, and provide
less impact. We're under the assumption that you are NOT hooking up $20 CD players
to 10K amps etc. We are trying to make the assumption that either your components
are within the same type of quality, OR the weakest component is NOT far too worse
than the rest.

The important thing to remember is that your system is as only as good as your
weakest component.

Any positive feedback is welcome, and would be appreciated if you know what to do

Good luck

EG