Integrated amp rec

Tinnitus

Tinnitus

New Member
My Sansui 881 is giving up on me. Looking for recommendations. Streaming music most of the time, thru Zu dirty weeks.
 
Sorry for the semi-off topic question but out of curiosity, what’s the “integrated” in reference to when talking amps? Does that just mean the preamp is built into it? I was under the impression that it was a good idea to have a separate preamp?
 
Tys1 said:
Sorry for the semi-off topic question but out of curiosity, what’s the “integrated” in reference to when talking amps? Does that just mean the preamp is built into it? I was under the impression that it was a good idea to have a separate preamp?
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Yeah so integrated means it had the preamp (source selector and volume control) separate from the power amp. Separate is better but can be pricy and there are pretty good options for integrated amps at all price ranges. The vast majority on here have integrated amps, I think I’m an outlier with a separate preamp and dual mono block power amps.
 
Tys1 said:
Sorry for the semi-off topic question but out of curiosity, what’s the “integrated” in reference to when talking amps? Does that just mean the preamp is built into it? I was under the impression that it was a good idea to have a separate preamp?
Click to expand...
Integrated amps have source selection and volume control built in, but not necessarily a phono stage. Has a built in power amp, so a preamp/line stage and power amp in one chassis.

Preamp/Line Stage: Source selection and volume control to drive a separate power amp. Again, some have phono stages, some don’t. Cannot drive speakers directly.

Phono preamplifier/stage: Allows connection of turntables to integrated or preamps without one. Can also be used in place of an existing phono stage in an integrated or preamp for increased performance.
 
at it's most basic, you have three stages between a turntable and your speakers:

a phono stage: this amplifies the minuscule signal from your cartridge to a 'line level,' that is: a signal as strong as you'd typically expect from a CD player or iPhone or whatnot.

a preamplifier stage: this allows you to select between several inputs, as well as attenuate the volume

power amplifier: this amplifies the line level signal to a level where it can drive speakers.

You can have each of these stages as a separate unit, or, more commonly, have the preamp/power amp or phono/preamp/power amp all combined into a single chassis, called an integrated amplifier.

There are also various other functional combinations of gear, including powered/active speakers (speakers + power amp + preamp + sometimes a phono stage), or turntables with integrated phono stages, or even power amps with volume controls. But if you take it all apart, you will always be looking at some variation of turntable -> phono -> preamp -> power amp -> speakers.
 
kvetcha said:
at it's most basic, you have three stages between a turntable and your speakers:

a phono stage: this amplifies the minuscule signal from your cartridge to a 'line level,' that is: a signal as strong as you'd typically expect from a CD player or iPhone or whatnot.

a preamplifier stage: this allows you to select between several inputs, as well as attenuate the volume

power amplifier: this amplifies the line level signal to a level where it can drive speakers.

You can have each of these stages as a separate unit, or, more commonly, have the preamp/power amp or phono/preamp/power amp all combined into a single chassis, called an integrated amplifier.

There are also various other functional combinations of gear, including powered/active speakers (speakers + power amp + preamp + sometimes a phono stage), or turntables with integrated phono stages, or even power amps with volume controls. But if you take it all apart, you will always be looking at some variation of turntable -> phono -> preamp -> power amp -> speakers.
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This is great, thank you! I think I almost have my head wrapped around it all. This is the note I made myself, is this correct? The phono stage aspect still confuses me a little bit. Usually the phono stage is built into the preamp but no always? So if it’s not then there would actually be ANOTHER component in the drawing?

2C522234-CFAF-4E82-9929-50E599D8494D.jpeg
 
Tys1 said:
This is great, thank you! I think I almost have my head wrapped around it all. This is the note I made myself, is this correct? The phono stage aspect still confuses me a little bit. Usually the phono stage is built into the preamp but no always? So if it’s not then there would actually be ANOTHER component in the drawing?

View attachment 72675
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Yes exactly. So a cartridge output from a turntable is really low level. mV. Preamps/Integrated amps deal with line level V that is higher. The phono stage amplifies the mV to the same as a line level coming from, for example, a CD player.

If the preamp/integrated has a phono stage built in it will be marked as “phono” and that pre-amplification stage will be built into its chassis.

To be honest, in my experience there are far more advantages to having a separate phono stage than to having separate preamp/power amp v integrated amp.
 
Joe Mac said:
Yes exactly. So a cartridge output from a turntable is really low level. mV. Preamps/Integrated amps deal with line level V that is higher. The phono stage amplifies the mV to the same as a line level coming from, for example, a CD player.

If the preamp/integrated has a phono stage built in it will be marked as “phono” and that pre-amplification stage will be built into its chassis.

To be honest, in my experience there are far more advantages to having a separate phono stage than to having separate preamp/power amp v integrated amp.
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Cool! So a preamp without a phono stage would work fine for a CD player but not for a turntable. I think the dots are all starting to connect, you’re all the best for taking time to explain it. Thank you!
 
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