Select Your Less Than Ideal System


Informal survey: Select from one of the four less than ideal systems below. Assume you have limited funds and can only afford three components of excellence and one moderate component. Which will be "sacrificed" to expediency?

I am not interested in alternative answers such as reallocating the funds to achieve balance. This is a thought experiment requiring absolute answers - A., B., C., D.

I have an idea which I am considering writing up as an article and want to see where the community stands on this question. This is not intended to be part of a review and the article is of my own volition, not assigned. Feel free to include your rationale, but I want clear choices regarding the survey. Only one choice please.

Survey: Select your Less Than Ideal Rig:

A.
Moderate source
Excellent amplification
Excellent cabling
Excellent speakers

B.
Excellent source
Moderate amplification
Excellent cabling
Excellent speakers

C.
Excellent source
Excellent amplification
Moderate cabling
Excellent speakers

D.
Excellent source
Excellent amplification
Excellent cabling
Moderate speakers

Thank you for your participation. :)
douglas_schroeder
I vote C. There are some terrific sounding and performing cables that don't cost a great deal of money.A-gon auctions for MAC & Black Mountain being two examples.The Pangea Power cables are too good to be true and cheap!!!
You can always add more esoteric cables in time(if necessary and when finances permit).

Iwould not skimp on the speakers or amp,although there are excellent sounding affordable examples of both.Linn always felt that the source was the most important element in the audio chain.

Yep,I'd cut costs with the cabling.
Limited funds = C. Inexpensive cabling can still allow most of the signal pass thru unscathed. Your only loss in not spending more money is more often than not you can't get cabling which enables you to alter a signal you find undesirable.