An integrated amplifier under $2,000 puts your preamp and power amp in one box, and most now include a DAC or phono stage too. No cable juggling, no rack of separates, just one component driving your speakers. At this price, you get enough clean power for most bookshelf and tower speakers in a typical room. The quality gap between a $500 and $2,000 integrated isn't subtle: bigger transformers, better volume controls, and output stages with real current delivery that keeps bass tight under load. You'll hear the difference on the first track.
