Source components. QUALITY 101 trouble shooting starts at the source. If its not too notch then it cannot be corrected or manipulated downstream. You can't make a signal better. (With the exception of tube buffers) but thats another subject. Everything is important. Here is 2 scenarios. You have some 10k speakers with a $300 Turntable. Or a 10k turntable with a $300 pair of speakers. Which system do you think will sound better everything else being the same. I think the source is my favorite component
What is the most important component in your system.
To me it is my ARC Ref 6 preamp. I have used a few other preamps, ML38s , ARC Ref 5se, with my current system and none has taking me closer to music then my ARC Ref 6 preamp. Years ago I always thought it was my B&W 800 Matrix speakers and then my Krell FBB amp. But found out that to get the best sound from my 800s it is a preamp..Years ago i never knew how important a good preamp was in reproducing music. And sure everything adds up ,like interconnects , power cables , speaker cables, platforms and all those tweaks that we use and try. Now i not saying that i was never happy with my 800s and Krell or even my ML 38s. But adding my current preamp really makes my other components bring out their best.