How do you determine how much to spend on speakers

GREAT SYSTEM but would put you in the 5 to 6 grand range. B&W804N SPEAKERS, CONRAD JOHNSON PV14L PREAMP, MF2500 CONRAD AMP AND ANY DECENT CD PLAY USED FOR AROUND $800, bi-wire the speakers and use decent cables to connect equip but don't spend alot here. I have close to this only I have the mf2250 and it doesn't completely satisfy the 804's but I have since biamped and added another amp. wish I would've got the mf2500 to begin with. speaker placement is critical and my 804's sound great and have disappeared in the music and the sound stage and realness is great. I wouldn't even think about a tuner.

Let me have a redo on this, I've just experienced a system that I've owned for 8 years which I thought sounded pretty good but always thought something was missing. I never realized what power cord upgrades, conditioners, interconnects, and speaker cables could do for a system. Oh and not to forget source components, I.E. cd, or tt. I still have the same amps and pre and speakers I've had. I got a new TT and a new cdp which was a major improvement. This wasn't all I also had the pleasure of experiencing power cords and i-connects. I didn't have any idea, I thought a cdp was a cdp and a cable was a cable. If you are looking to get into this hobby and want somewhere to start don't neglect the source components and power cords starting with the source component. Don't spend all your money on speakers as the signal starts at the source or the cord going to the source. It has been an amazing experience for me finally realizing my systems potential and I hope that others don't make the same mistake I made of listing to good amps, pre's, and speakers thru bad sources and cables. I now think that is the most important part of a system.

It's funny to go back and look at my old post and now with all the changes I've been through with my system and what I viewed as important then and now, ha... I think my speakers are right up there in importance now with everything. Here is how my $$$ was spent on the new system and it is pure magic IMO.
Preamp-14.5%
Source-11%
amps-19%
speakers-19%
Racks-12.5%
Conditioners and power cords-14.5%
interconnects and speaker cables-9.5%

The above for me is all important. If I had to determine what goes last in the event of a down size, it would be very difficult. I would say the last things to change in my system would be the speaker and or racks. I would rather downsize my components if I had to and get the max out of it by placing it on my racks. That said the rack maybe would go before the speakers. That said I think its important not to leave anything undone and make sure you get stuff that works well together.

I should point out that I am not saying in my post above that the %%% I spent was a planned attack or a method of someone else putting something together. I did no planning when I did this system. I just bought what I wanted. I sat and figured the percentage on a calculator just for this thread. I am surprised though at how close every category is and to me it tells me that they are all important, because the cdp went in first with the old system and then the speakers, then each piece was upgraded one at a time so I did get to see the improvements in stages although it only lasted a couple of weeks in between some upgrades. The one thing I left out was room control which I have some of to and it is equally important. I could probably include that in the racks which would bump that up 3 or 4 % maybe. I think the most important thing is to talk to someone who knows how to match things well and then decide what to spend and would say spread out the money, don't put it all in one place.