Amps, Pre-amps ???

[cpp]

I am a newbie to this forum and seem to be totally confused on the use and meaning of the following on pre's and intergrated amps. For audio only.

Can someone let me know what is the difference between a Pre-AMP and a Intergrated AMP.

I know a amp provides the power and drives the speakers and a pre-amp is the link to your components buit is a intergrated amp a amp and a pre-amp ?

 

[cgk]

pre-amp vs. integrated amp

A pre-amp is a device that takes a variety of inputs (CD, DVD, phono, tape deck, etc) and sends an output to an amplifier which then sends a signal to your speakers. The pre-amp usually will have ways to modify the signal before it goes to the amp such as volume, balance, and tone controls and it will have switches to choose which source (input) to send to the amp.

An integrated amp (I have a NAD integrated amp) has the pre-amp functions and also has on on-board amplifier but won't have a built in tuner. If you throw in a tuner, you now have a receiver.

Hope this helps.

 

[markw]

Close, but no cee-gar

A pre-amp is voltage amplifier that generally allows some control over the signal. These controls include source switching (CD, tuner. etc...), volune control, balance controls, tome controls and virtually any other control normally associated with audio. The output of a preamp cannot drive a speaker. For that you need...

A power amp. thus is a current amplifier that increases the current (or power) of a signal enough to drive a speaker.

These can exist on separate chassis. When they reside on one chassis, you have what is considered an "integrated amplifier".

When you add a tuner to an integrated amplifier you have the classic receiver.

Additionally, a few devices combine a tuner and a preamp, leaving the choice of a separate power amp up to the user. These are, surprisingly enough, referred to as tuner/preamps (doh!). ...no fancy names there.