Are the performance of separates worth the price?

If you are going to only have one source, (CD) then I would skip the preamp, get the best amp you can afford and go for a CD player that offers volume control such as the Audio Aero Capitole Mk 2, Wadia, Levinson or Accuphase. You will get a top notch source and a preamp in one package. Some of these units offer digital inputs, so you could run a DVD player into them for HT. You save a set of interconnect, power cord, isolation and shelf space. I love a great preamp, and consider it to be one of the most important links, but if you have a budget and don't need a lot of switching ability it's tough to beat the CD player direct for bang for the buck.

Mjcpas
You may want to contact Sumiko and ask them what the like.
A warm amp. would not be a good idea.

Tim

My thoughts are that integrated amps and one box cd players tend to represent far better "value" for the money. The cost savings of one chassis (vs. two or more) for the manufacturer are siginificant and passed on to the consumer for the most part (while we don't want to admit it, a fair amount of the retail price on any high end audio component goes to the fit and finish of the chassis, with some exceptions...lamm comes to mind). Second, the elimination of external connectors with hard wired connections also tends to produce sonic benefits. That said, at the (very) top end, separate chassis do have the edge because of the ability to separate the power supplies from the rest of the components, as well eliminating intra-chassis resonances and the like. While few will disagree that separates provide the best sound, integrateds will provide more value. Of course this is my opinion and like all generalizations will not hold to be true all the time.

Ejlif is correct in suggesting a Cd player with volumn control. Unless, of course you need the pre for vinyl. The only problem with most such Cd players is that they don't have an analog passthru for your tuner.

I am only aware of one Cd player that has recently incorporated the anagog passthre and that is the Audio Aero Mark II. You can get an older AA upgraded with a new circuit board and it will also handle analog.

there are some pretty good separates and some pretty good integrateds. I think your own ears will lead you the way that it is best for you.

My ears led me toward separates, but these things sure take up quite a bit of room!