Fmpnd is right on (in my opinion).
Great speakers with poor electronics sound terrible. I'd add that cheap CD players (<$200) are pretty listenable through all but the highest end spkr/amp setups. Therefore if I were to assemble a system bit by bit over many months (assuming I already have some sort of cheap CD and speakers ala circuit city) my order would be (I would buy in this order to ensure that at all stages I had a system I could bare to listen to):
1. Amp (this will set final budget)
2. Speakers (spend approx same as amp)
3. cables (spend about 1/10 of total system cost)
4. CD/DVD player. (spend approx 1/2 of cost of amp)
Matching is important, and I think the CD source has the least overall impact on the soundless even than the cables (again .. just my experience, no flames please).
Note if you want an analogue front end then I think the turntable/arm/cartridge is equally important to amp and speakers, and should be purchased first. In this respect I think that digital front ends are much more forgiving.
Great speakers with poor electronics sound terrible. I'd add that cheap CD players (<$200) are pretty listenable through all but the highest end spkr/amp setups. Therefore if I were to assemble a system bit by bit over many months (assuming I already have some sort of cheap CD and speakers ala circuit city) my order would be (I would buy in this order to ensure that at all stages I had a system I could bare to listen to):
1. Amp (this will set final budget)
2. Speakers (spend approx same as amp)
3. cables (spend about 1/10 of total system cost)
4. CD/DVD player. (spend approx 1/2 of cost of amp)
Matching is important, and I think the CD source has the least overall impact on the soundless even than the cables (again .. just my experience, no flames please).
Note if you want an analogue front end then I think the turntable/arm/cartridge is equally important to amp and speakers, and should be purchased first. In this respect I think that digital front ends are much more forgiving.