In the beginning, that is to say, the beginning of “HiFi” as we know it in the early 1950's, there were separates. And they were good. Your sources were a turntable, tuner, and, in some cases, an open reel tape deck. They were plugged into a preamp, which in turn was connected to an amplifier. Then, of course, the amp was connected to the speakers. And that was good.
Yes, it was good.
It was so good, in fact, that it created an entire industry and shifted the way people thought about the equipment they used for audio and later on the big to include video and home theater. After all, most consumers weren't true enthusiasts, and for them, having fewer ‘boxes’ to deal with and a simpler setup process…
