That it requires two op amps for a 3-pole filter.

That's what gets you equal component values for all three poles. Back when combining components to get weirdo values was expensive, this was not.

Life is choice.

ak

 

That's what gets you equal component values for all three poles. Back when combining components to get weirdo values was expensive, this was not.

Life is choice.

Very true.
Being able to use equal value R's and C's may well be worth the tradeoff of adding an extra op-amp (particularly if one is already available in a multi op-amp package).

Edit: Below is the sim of an example, equal value, 3-pole LP Butterworth filter with a 1.59kHz corner (corner ≈ 1/2πRC):