Limited budget-spend more money on amp or preamp?

Suggest you may want to consider the total amp-preamp package as
1) total dollars - looks to be around $1,300
2) length you intend to keep the pieces.
If you expect to keep both for awhile, the integrated makes sense. If you expect to upgrade again soon, then buy seperates. Depending on what component you'll keep longer, spend more on that one.
Preamps - The Adcom is OK, but there's a number of others to consider that I'm sure will come up.
Amps - The Bryston will go $1,000-$1,200. Had a few. They're good value. Consider others like Anthem, Rotel too. Less $ but good.
Good Luck.

Hi Dawgcatching
as you state you are looking at a line stage are we to assume you are not intending to use a turntable,if so and if your cd player or other source component has sufficient gain you could use a passive volume control,some realy reasonably priced passives have shown up recently on audiogon leaving you free to pick your power amp of choice.if you only have one source you could always fit an inboard pair of attenuaters in that source box if there is room or outboard[not so elegant].It is always best to buy components you would wish to use for a long time,regardless of their place in the audio chain.crap is crap and will be audible no matter where you choose to install it.

Notice how many different answers you got...? This seems to garner opinions that are all over the map. I will say that I hung onto a pair of speakers for a long time with numerous equipment changes and they simply kept sounding better all along the way. Until recently I was not feeling compelled to even bother with making a speaker change. Even then, it was a somewhat impulsive mood that spurred my decision to pick up a new pair of speakers. If your speakers are decent (as I believe they are) I think you will notice the benefits of upgrading gear. That aside, I should note that speaker changes do tend to offer the potential for a dramatic sonic change, though not always for the better. I would definitely opt for a nice integrated amp if I was in your shoes. The YBA would probably be a good call and I think that Primare integrated amps are some of the best buys on the used marketplace, having had first hand experience with their A20 amplifier. My personal fave, however, is the Densen B100. Plenty of other great choices too. If you don't do an integrated, I'd probably second the recommendation for a passive (something like the FT Audio 'Little Wonder') matched up with a nice amp until you're able to put more bucks into a pre-amp. The Densen B-100 has a passive pre-amp section and I was using it as a passive pre- for some time. I ended up preferring this sound over several active pre-amps that I tried. Granted, I was using it with a Densen amplifier that was intended to match up with this configuration, but it was somewhat illuminating to make these comparisons.

If you have any interest in home theater I offer you another possibility. Buy a $500 to $600 HT receiver - a used Denon 3803, for example, to tide you over while you learn more about good quality gear. Make certain it has preamp outputs. When you have the money, add a good quality amp to drive the front speakers. Later, after you've saved up some more, buy a nice pre-amp and demote the receiver to HT duties only, by routing its preamp outs through the preamp's HT bypass. This way, you don't waste any money, and you can upgrade in stages. The end result is a high-quality two channel system with HT capability.

The easy (old) answer is spend your money on a great pre-amp and a good amp.

Now, there are so many other options. All given above by other posters. With the advent of low-cost passive pre-amps, you can spend most of your money on a great amp. Unless you listen to vinyl.

Alternatively, there are many good (near great, for the money) integrated amps for sale on the 'gone right now. Consonance, Conrad-Johnson, Cary (they must start with a "C"). Oh, and Musical Fidelity too.

Plus, now, with the hybrid amps you can get the great tube sound (I'm on a tube kick now) and still get enough "oomph" from a solid state amp to drive your speakers well. Plus, the solid state amp section makes these units more affordable than an all tube integrated (which is where I think I am heading...).

The good news is there are several options (used) in the $1200 to $1500 range that will sound between good and amazing.

Good luck!