Importance of Amplifier versus Preamp?

"New in the field. I am wondering what is most important: a great amplifier with a good preamplifier, or a good amp, with a great preamplifier? Or should I look at a good amp with a great do certain brands make amplifier to go with preamplifier and receivers?
Thank you kindly.
Rockanroller"

You will never admit this to yourself, but your attitude will never let you succeed. Ever. You'll hear something that will sound good to you, but you will never let yourself enjoy it because you're committed to believe some crap test from the 70's that you probably didn't even read. Since when does Mr. Carver speak for the entire audio industry. And your vast knowledge of the human auditory system is no doubt, at the cutting edge of science.

Unfortunately, your attitude is becoming more common with people, almost on a daily basis. All the sudden you become an expert in a field because you read an article or 2. (I'm assuming you can read. I'll give you credit for that). But in the end, the only thing that you've proven is that you know how to make a fool out of yourself. In your first post, you claim to be new to audio. And now all of the sudden, you're at the cutting edge of what's possible. Sometimes I laugh at people when they try to pull this sort of thing, but in your case, I honestly can't. I feel like I would be making fun of a handicap person. I'm not kidding either. I really mean that.

"I can already feel the wave of outrage from all the AUDIOPHILES coming at me....OHLALA!"

So? Who cares anyway? If I were you, I would be more concerned with having some respect for myself. If you can't do that, you'll continue to lose.

Zd542
I think that all the answers were great!
But you lost me with the respect "innuendos".
So sorry to have offended you.
Just so you know, most of the music I have listened to sound warmer on older equipment.
Here is an excerpt from Lincoln Gray, Ph.D., Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, James Madison University on neural auditory system:
The Range of Sounds to Which We Respond; Neural Tuning Curves

Our absolute threshold, the minimum level of sound that we can detect, is strongly dependent on frequency. At the level of pain, sound levels are about six orders of magnitude above the minimal audible threshold. Sound pressure level (SPL) is measured in decibels (dB). Decibels are a logarithmic scale, with each 6 dB increase indicating a doubling of intensity. The perceived loudness of a sound is related to its intensity. Sound frequencies are measured in Hertz (Hz), or cycles per second. Normally, we hear sounds as low as 20 Hz and as high as 20,000 Hz. The frequency of a sound is associated with its pitch. Hearing is best at about 3-4 kHz. Hearing sensitivity decreases at higher and lower frequencies, but more so at higher than lower frequencies. High-frequency hearing is typically lost as we age.

In conclusion, no I am not an expert,and I am cognizant of that fact, however, like you said, I read a lot. And thank you for humoring me as well.
Thank you for taking the time.
Respectfully,
Long live Rock and Roll!
Good bye.

Almarg
thank you kindly for the "teaching moment" about Mr Carver.
Much appreciated.
Rockanroller.

ZD- I'm always eager to listen to someone who is passionate and not afraid to express their opinion, but really

the only thing that you've proven is that you know how to make a fool out of yourself

You off your meds again ;-) Give the guy a break. We wring our hands about the shortage of new blood in this hobby and then someone new comes along and you $hit all over him. You're entitled to your opinion and even to express it honestly, but that was a little bit over the top (IMO).

Rockanroller- There are no stupid questions. Lots for all of us to learn. Except ZD. And Bo. Steer clear of Bo. He'll have you spending $20K on cables for your $5K system.

"You off your meds again ;-) Give the guy a break. We wring our hands about the shortage of new blood in this hobby and then someone new comes along and you $hit all over him. You're entitled to your opinion and even to express it honestly, but that was a little bit over the top (IMO)."

Normally, I would agree, but in this case I think my comment was justified. The OP starts the thread claiming to be new to audio and is looking for advice. Nothing wrong with that. That's what these threads are for. But if you read his last couple of posts, its clear that he wasn't being honest with us. He had his mind made up right from the start. All the sudden, he starts preaching about science and psychology, 2 topics that he clearly knows very little about as you can see from the ridiculous info he references. So, if he was honest with us right from the beginning, that's fine. He didn't do that, and I don't like being tricked.