Mixing or matching component brands

@cb77 

Are you only asking preamp and amp, or are you including all other non-cabling components: turntable, phono stage, DAC, streamer, tuner, R2R…(most other seems not brand dependent unless it’s included in an integrated)?

@kennyc 

Amps and preamps primarily, but other components as well if made available.  For example, if the choice is between a company that offers a full range of components vs. mixing multiple brands, which approach would be preferred and why?

For my neutral transparent system, my preamp+amp preferences is generally the same brand or an integrated, whatever raises the Sonics within budget.

For my high efficiency system which I’ll use to investigate tube midrange magic including flea watt, likely a mix - tube amp with a neutral (TBD) preamp.  However, I am open to a tube integrated.

I've generally been mix-n-match I have tried same brand a few times and generally found mixing and matching to work better. Currently 4 brands in my stereo that are sympatico for sure but not the same. 

with a limited budget, (which is by definition what we all of have) choosing from a single brand would be a big constraint. In general, it’s a much better value to mix and match