It all depends! Some manufacturers make an outstanding preamp while another makes an outstanding amp. I have mixed different brands for years,especially when I needed a big solid state power amp and a tube preamp. Also there are some manufacturers that do not make both! Always try to get the best of both worlds!
Best Of Breed or Matching Components?
I see a lot of questions regarding best matches to components, particularly with amps and preamps. It got me thinking about the different ways to go about building a system. From an electronics perspective, do you feel that combining components from various manufacturers provides the best sound? Or do you think that matching components from the same manufacturer provides more synergies?