Best Of Breed or Matching Components?

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!

My last preamp and amp combo were a McCormack RLD 1 and DNA 125 amp.   The preamp  was nice, but changing it out for a conrad - johnson Classic 2 SE was a huge improvement.   The DNA 125 has since been replaced by a pair of Quicksilver Mid Mono amps and they sound great together.   

There is no absolute answer. Some will favor the same manufacturer, while others will favor different manufacturers, and both sides are correct.

Recently I have swung over to the same manufacturer side of the fence, but even further, by using an integrated amplifier. There are so many very good integrated amps out there these days, from major players like Pass Labs, Solution, VAC, D'Agostino, Vitus, etc., that for some, separates can seem a thing of the past.

Many times simpler is better. Of course, as with anything else in this hobby, YMMV

There are so many variables to contend with when matching components from different makers .If product A boosts bass and product B also boosts bass then when you combine the two you have too much bass . Bass just used as an example . All frequencies are affected by the two components being joined . My success rate for matching different manufactures is at about 30% . Am i just unlucky or on a bad streak ? 

Flip a coin