One's speakers and the acoustic properties of one's room and set up are by far the most influential elements in the sound one hears.
The difference between a $1000 pair of speakers and a $10,000 pair of speakers will in most cases be staggering, but the difference between a $1,000 amp/preamp/cd player and a $10,000 amp/pre/cdp will often be quite subtle.
Even the best speakers produce relatively large amounts of distortion and have frequency response deviations of +/- 3db. Most electonics produce <1% distortion and have a frequency response within +/- .1db from 20hz-20khz.
No matter how linear and distortion free one's speakers and electronics are, once the room comes into play everything goes out the window. No transport will fix a -15db null at 50hz.
The difference between a $1000 pair of speakers and a $10,000 pair of speakers will in most cases be staggering, but the difference between a $1,000 amp/preamp/cd player and a $10,000 amp/pre/cdp will often be quite subtle.
Even the best speakers produce relatively large amounts of distortion and have frequency response deviations of +/- 3db. Most electonics produce <1% distortion and have a frequency response within +/- .1db from 20hz-20khz.
No matter how linear and distortion free one's speakers and electronics are, once the room comes into play everything goes out the window. No transport will fix a -15db null at 50hz.