Integrated amplifier or separates: how to choose
One box or two? What each approach offers, and how to choose for your room and speakers.
16 October 2026 · By Alpha Audio
What each one is
An amplifier does two jobs. The preamplifier selects your source and sets the volume. The power amplifier then makes that small signal strong enough to drive your speakers.
An integrated amplifier puts both jobs in one box. Separates split them into two boxes joined by a cable. Either can sound excellent, so the choice is about how your system will live and grow.
When an integrated is the better choice
An integrated is simple: one box, one mains socket and no extra cable to buy. The two halves are designed together, so they are matched from the start.
It is often the better use of a budget too. You are not paying for a second case and power supply, and what you save can go towards speakers, which usually shape the sound more than any amplifier.
If your room is a normal size and your speakers are easy to drive, an integrated is often the right answer. Many listeners never need anything more.
When separates make sense
Separates give each stage its own space and power supply, and you can change one half without touching the other. They suit specific needs: large, demanding speakers, or a room where the power amplifier is best placed close to them.
The trade-offs are real. You will need more shelf space, ventilation and cabling, and the same money may buy less at each stage. Two boxes are not automatically better than one.
Matching power to your speakers
The watts on a specification sheet are only part of the story. The real question is whether an amplifier can drive your speakers, in your room, at the level you listen to, without sounding strained.
Speakers vary widely. A more sensitive design plays louder from the same power, while a less sensitive one, or a difficult load, asks far more of the amplifier. As a rule of thumb, doubling the power brings only a modest rise in loudness, so a slightly bigger number changes little on its own.
Leaving room to grow
Before you buy, think about what might come next. Some integrated amplifiers have a preamplifier output, which lets you add a power amplifier or subwoofer later. Check that there are enough inputs for your sources too.
When you are ready to compare, come and listen in our showroom, and our staff can help you choose.