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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
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.
tastyfreeze's avatar
tastyfreeze
135 posts
 
A sound guy in the '80s explained hi-fi setups and it all must add up to 100%.   Sounds simple,  Unless you have great speakers all the other stuff before it is wasted, so spend all the money you can to get the right speakers for what you need.  The value here is 80%+.  Unless you a have a great recording all the other stuff has to make up the difference.  The values here of good source and good reproduction is 15%+.  
Yep, all the other audio equipment. The value here is 3%+. Everyone overspends in this segment.    
I argued the math, but the math proved to be right +/-.  
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