What is most important part of a system?


I remember reading someone saying that the most important part of a system was the source. I thought "Wrong! Speakers are the most important".
 
Now, I have changed my mind. Source is the most important part.

Right or wrong but this is how I came to this conclusion;

I have tried the same system with a CD player and a turntable. By far LP sounds better than a CD. Btw, the system had all high-end amps, speakers, cables, etc.

What is most important part of a system for you?


celo
To me it is speakers that the most most important, followed by the room. Good digital sources are easy to come by.  I've heard the mantra 'rubbish in, rubbish out' but the fallacy, or rather irrelevance, of that is for amplifiers: 'rubbish amplification, rubbish out' or for speakers: 'rubbish out, rubbish out'.
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For me, the loudspeakers are the most important part of your system since. No matter how good your source is, if the speakers can’t convey the full dynamics, scale, impact and resolution as a coherent whole, with realistic sound staging and imaging, then you will never get the full capability out of a better source. Then again, I was ruined for life after hearing a pair of Infinity IRS-V’s in a Dealer’s showroom back in 1991!

Next in order would be..

- Source
- amp
- room-
- cables
- isolation
- a/c power
- good recordings
I used to think speakers, but my opinion has evolved a bit. My previous system (Linn speakers) seemed to sound pretty much the same irrespective of the amplifier and/or CD player; and most CDs sounded decent and similar. However, in my current system (Zu Def 4s) when my SET amp required servicing and I had to use a back-up SS amp, the sound became almost boring and uninviting and unengaging; it reverted to "normal" just as soon as my SET was re-inserted. Plus, CDs sound "different"- some good, some bad, and some indifferent.