Limited budget-spend more money on amp or preamp?


Hi. I am new to decent sound. I have a OK pair of full-range speakers (Von Schweikert VR-2000's) and are now looking for something to power them with. I am very limited with funds now, and am looking for decent used gear (both an amp and preamp). Out of the two components, would money be better spent on a good amp that I will be happy with for several years and a budget preamp, or the other way around? I have been looking at both a Bryston .4B Linestage and a Bryston 3B/4B amp, but I can't afford both. If I go with the .4B preamp, I will have to cut corners on the amp (probably an Adcom 545II). Likewise, if I get the 4B amp, I will have to get a cheaper preamp-something used under $150.

What combo would give me the best sound? Thanks in advance!
dawgcatching

Showing 2 responses by eldartford

How about a good Integrated amp. This will make you happy for now. When you win the lottery you can add a low level electronic crossover and a power amp to biamp the speakers.

I think it is speakers first, with the proviso that the power amp must be adequite for the speakers chosen.

As to source, if you use LPs, the pickup is as important as the speakers (when using that source). Transducers have sonic characteristics far beyond those of other elements in the system.

For Disc players, Tuners, Preamps and the like, reasonably priced hardware is OK. Not to say that superexpensive preamps are not better, but the point of diminishing returns is reached at quite a low dollar figure.
Muzikat...Correction. Speakers produce a lot more than what is fed to them. They (like all transducers)superimpose their character on the sound.

Source quality-per-dollar goes up a lot faster than speaker quality-per-dollar. And if you consider the CD, DVD, SACD or LP as part of the "source" it's contribution is much greater than the hardware used to play it. Buy a $1,000 player, and $30-$50 recordings.