Amp first approach to building a system, anyone ?

fastfreight, amps are huge indeed but preamps are at least as much important though less "visible". Great amps bring the best out of speakers. I think, many speakers are in fact better than they may sound at first because the amp is not good enough. Not talking about source here which of course is hugely important too.

I have made it known on the Gon on quite few occasions, I am not a monogamous individual when it comes to experiencing an End Sound produced from Audio Equipment.

Polygamous is a better description, as I am quite content to use different Phonostages > SUT’s > Head Amp’s to support the Vinyl Source.

Different Pre’ Amp’s and Power Amp’s are at hand in both Valve and SS to add gain to the source signal.

Speakers until very recently are a ESL Speaker as the go to speaker with a selection of Cabinet designs being available across many years to create a variety of different End Sounds resulting from the conversion of the signal supplied from the permutations of Amplification able to be put together up stream of the Speaker.

The Speaker really does define what is to be heard, but this is not ubiquitous as the Sound released will present itself differently in different spaces selected for listening.

All upstream devices do not create sound, they only add gain to an electrical energy in transit. Where the energy in transit is destined to be converted from electrical energy into Kinetic Energy, resulting in the forming of a sound.

Produced Sound interacts within the local environment differently as each local environment is quite unique in how the free Space is created and how obstruction in the Space is positioned. There is also then the Structural Properties for the Space used to produced sound, i.e, Concrete Floor > Ceiling > Brickwork Walls or a Timber Floor > Drywall Board attached to a Timber Joist and Stud Work for Ceiling and Walls. There is also the treatment to cavities within Voids behind Drywall Boards.

Not one Audio device is able to overcome the loss of quality of sound produced within a Space where ambient conditions will not let quality sound be created. 

All Audio devices are quite capable of creating a sound that when heard creates a enjoyment, a very cheap set of Ear Buds, a poor signal receiving Car Radio or Alexia has this capability as well, especially when a favoured Track is being played. 

Every so often I encounter a sound that is extremely attractive and wanted to be maintained, even pursued to be reproduced in the home system if not originally created within the home system. The complication is whether synergy is the reason for the special musical encounter and produced End Sound, or if one device is solely responsible for the pleasant experience. When it comes to deciding on a device that is solely responsible that can be a gamble, unless it can be removed and replaced with another during the demo'. This then put the notion that synergy can also have a part to play and no systems are identical. If a device is not loanable to extend the discoveries to be made, the attempts to recreate similar falls into the area of gambling on the outcome.

Many have rolled the dice on Audio Equipment and had plenty of hours of listening whilst rueing that day.    

@inna you ever changed speakers but kept your amp? Wouldn’t that be same as amp first approach?

I have had my speakers for 25 years and have changed a few amps. Now that I have a much better and tube amp I won't change it easily, that's for sure.

So, I started classical way - speakers first, but if I want or have to change speakers I will definitely want to keep the amp - transitioning to amp first approach.

Hey @inna ,   100% on the pre amp importance!   Check out mine!