"When would you use a diferent preamp, or different power amp in an
integrated unit anyways? Anything with the shunts was already packed with
all sorts of silly inputs to start with. "

Preamps can make as big a difference in the sound as power amps. People also get to liking how they hook up, all their **** fits. They like the tone controls, and that is a big one. some of those old 25 WPC Marantzes had fantastic preamps and tuners, but now the guy went and bought some speakerzillas and needs more power. So he picks up an ampzilla somewhere but wants the rest of his system to stay the same. He likes how it looks and sounds, just needs more power.

That's why, and it really is not audiophoolery, just one of thoise things.

I had a Marantz 4270 I ran in strsapped mode for the front to get the more power (clipped at 154 watts per channel in bridged mode) and used the rear pre outs to feed a Sansui 771 into 2.3 ohms for the back which had modified speakers. They originally had passive radiators but I put speakers in there instead. Then I had to use an EQ (Soundcraftsmen PE2217) to get the sound right.

Purists can bitch and moan about using EQ like that but what about the Bose 901 ? The EQ for that has about a 30 dB range that a standard graphic EQ cannot do. So if that is OK then my system was OK.

All of this **** can sound different, so if you got a receiver or amp and like the sound, you can keep it. Also, people are getting back into vinyl and phono preamps are not all created equal. All over the place the audiophiles say my Soundcraftsmen has a ****ty phono stage, that it sounds harsh. Well I never used it, I used the EQ and it is one of the best EQs I have ever seen. Uses real coils, and the way it is configured, when you get to the extremes in the ranges, they are pretty much effectively in parallel. the chip based ones cannot do that and give you camel humps in the response. I can show you on a scope with a 1 KHz square wave.

People do crazier **** than that when it comes to stereo equipment. Some go nuts and claim one speaker wire sounds better, I do not go for that. Unless the resistance is very high it makes no difference. And like the cables, RCA type, the only thing that matters in them is the capacitance per foot. A cable from a turntable with a moving coil cartridge, maybe. then you might need superior shielding. but for the rest of it, for electronic sources like a CD player or tape deck, you almost do not need shielded cables. I'll use Romex from a CD p;layer to an amp and nobody will hear the difference, or might actually think the Romex sounds better !

Learning a little bit of math and electronics makes you aware of what really matters and what does not.