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Which area of components to spend the most $ on? Boy I was wrong all my life!

I have been an audio junkie for about 25 years. All those years, I have read plenty of discussion posts and recommendations where to spend the most money on. The majority, even the experts recommend to spend the most money on speakers. Up to as high as 60% of the total budget.Example: CEO of PS Audio-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYwL7vPkPhg
I believed this all my life. Today, my eyes are opened. My total budget is about $15K.Before today, my system was:Speakers-Revel F36 Concerta 2 (For the money, this is the best speakers I’ve heard. I like it more than my previous Dynaudio Contour 30)Integrated Amp-Marantz PM-10 (Class D, balanced, 400wpc at 4ohms)CD Player-Oppo UDP 205 & Marantz CD 6005 (Some of the best in class)Line conditioner-Furman Elite PFi 15Cables-Kimber 8TC Speaker Cables (Sorry, not a cable nut. I’d rather spend money elsewhere)
I upgraded my front end CD player to... Marantz SA-11S3. I was BLOWN away! This is the greatest upgrade I have ever heard in my life. For 25 years, I was taught to spend the most in speakers. Sorry! It’s the FRONT END! The best source you can afford. The purity transcends down the river. I am blown away by the sheer improvement in detail, clarity, depth, the air around the instruments.
My philosophy has changed.
skimrn
marklings
61 posts
 
Let me challenge the majority wisdom here.

Yes, the overall quality is that of the weakest link, yes if the signal starts bad in the beginning can't improve down the link

But those are all qualitative statement. Let me try and put some quantitative in that, albeit subjective I realize.

Thing is that the difference between a mid priced CD or AMP (not to speak of the cables) and a top of the line one is minimal. Say is a 90 vs a 100. While the difference in sound quality between equivalent mid priced or top speakers is like 10 to 100 !

Say that any component degrades to an extent an ideal perfect sound quality of 100.

You start with 100 because you have a perfect CD. But then you have just medium quality speakers that get that down to 50.

Vice versa with a mid priced CD you may start with a 90 but keep it to 90 or 80 because of your top of the line speakers

In other words, yes, the weakest link, ok, but you should look into what component of your chain has the widest influence on sound quality and that would definitely be the speakers.

Industry pushes electronics upgrade because they are easier to swap IMHO.

So my eventual 2 c: spend 90% on speakers, 9% on the fron end and 1% on cables !!!

The opinionated speakers extremist
richdirector's avatar
richdirector
266 posts
 
Wait until he rips the CDs onto a NAS and spends that money on streamer and DAC ..... pull vs push demand and correction.

I still follow 35% speakers, 30% source, (unless vinyl and digital then x2) 25% amp - 10% sundry breakdown as guide
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
Speakers play the music...gotta be good!  NSOTA in source can be had relatively cheap these days.  Also, many great integrated amps available as well.  As for cables, they are ubiquitous and can also be had reasonably.  
phantom_av
313 posts
 
For me money best spent was the room.
4krow
80 posts
 
Good thread, to be sure. My experience has changed for a few reasons. I bet reason number one is a change in my hearing. The highs were so important to me at one time. If I could hear them, they still would be. So, that aspect changed my consideration for sound preference. My age changed what I wanted in bass. My listening room made me expect a different outcome from my system. So now, while I consider speakers to be the most important, the associated equipment must allow a different presentation than in the past.
 For how ever you choose to spend your money on all audio, do it when you can still appreciate those differences.
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