How do you determine how much to spend on speakers

Personally, it's not the loudspeakers as much as the equipment behind them. I've heard reasonably priced speakers, (4K a pair), THAT I didn't care much for, sound superb with $22K of preamp, mono blocks, and CD player. My own experience proved that. I spent most on speakers, not front end. Consequently, not only did it become frustrating, it was costly.
Front end first, as much as is your budget to do. That is the priority.
Loudspeakers second - and here you can start low and move up with almost a new system each time there after.

The only other point to consider is synergy. Throughout a system, it is important. Details like sensitivity, size, price, resale, cosmetics, (not a high priority but important) should not be discounted.
I like the idea of powering less efficient speakers with big power amps. . . but it's costly. The 22K & 4K system I heard that blew me away was top of the line THOR preamp, blocks, and Shan Lings top CD player, p[utting out 30 wpc into a pair of von Schweigert VR 4JR's. pretty impressive sound came out of those little 2K a copy loudspeakers. (audience & HT wires)

I say you just need to take as much as you think you can afford for new speakers, and then double it. ...or perhaps simply make your own...

having been some time since I added to this thread and some things have changed for me including my perspectives, I'll add this bit of experience and begin by echoing "Sonicbeauty"... RUN, DO NOT WALK! Away from this hobby. the balance of his statements may well serve you too.

Stick around if you really want to wind up with something quite superior in sonic performance though.

How easily satisfied you are or are not, will directly reflect upon both your wallet, and stress levels.

I'm still in the "it's What's up front that counts" camp. Solidly... because it works.

one decision in speakerage needs be made right off, apart from the amount of duckets being cast at them... "Which way shall I go to find my sonic paradise?"

Low power, or high power? Megga watts or just a handful? either works. Each has it's own character. Both can be done with the same speakers, IF more than "sound" is considered when buying them.

Erring here can cost later. substantially so, if you later decide to go the SET route, after first deciding Monster watts rule so eff ratings aren't important.

In the 'real' world you gotta consider upgrades. Speakers if floor standers, are usually large and certainly heavy. Tougher to ship for sure than componenets. Being out in the unprotected openess of a listening area, they get 'touched' more. See more the effects of day to day living.

Big, heavy, bulky, costly to pack and ship. speakers don't flow in and out of my house for that express reason. I have three sets though. one set will be moving on soon too, as i have decided to follow a different path in amplification, and never ever did I give the slightest thought I would go that direction. never entered my mind..

things change.

Being considerate of more than sound at point of purchase is very important, more so with greater expenditure. Efficiency, impedance curves, range, and flexibility, not just color and size have to be thought well of here and now... not just the sound.

Ratios? I've roughly $25K RETAIL IN FRONT OF $4K speakers... the next set of speakers will likely be in the $4 - $8k range.... so waht's that speaker to system ratio? 25% or so on speakers?

One doesn't need super high dollar speakers to have a super high end sound. Good speakers will sound far better with a better signal runing through them. that is a fact. In fact, every very good to great sounding system has easily had 3-4 times the value of the speaker in it's electronics.

There's lots of solutions here in this thread. Some quite good advice too. so go which ever way you are capable of now. Regarless. I started my re-entry this time around with exactly what was said above. A mass fi source, receiver, a sub, and a pair of speakers. All that remains of it are the Receiver and sub. the source died and the speakers moved on.

Think outside of your plans if you feel power is the answer. it's not. think efficiency and impedance curves as well as esthetics and sound, and you will be far better served for far longer.... but it ain't the end all be all... cause if you do stick around and are not the easily contended type, the first set of speakers will be just a memory soon enough anyhow. Just like the other 'first entrants' in the high end derby, because as was said, "...just begining..." was the thrust, and not "What's my last speaker?"

Spend wisely and comfortably. Listen to the ones you like on far better electronics than are being bought at the same time if possible, and if a spouse is involved, have her pick the color and perhaps price of this first set. it will be maybe your turn next go 'round to do likewise... cause there will likely be a 'next time'. maybe a few next times.

If you are just beginning, the ‘hi fi’ highway is wide open… as just about everything you buy now will likely be replaced anyways later on.

I’ve not run across anyone personally, though there may well be a few out there, that haven’t at some point made changes to their stereo systems.

Rooms do play a big part, so does life. Decorating. Redecorating. Kids. Changing houses or apartments. So there is probably no one fool proof way to select the ‘first’ pair of speakers apart from a nice pair of monitors. Two ways…. Or just not large pricey floor standers. A good trickle down plan here will help out immensely, as the ‘first’ ones can be applied some where else, at some later date without them becoming a total loss.

A real nice pair of two ways and one or two subs can do an awful lot of music. Movies. Etc… They pack quickly and move easily too.

Without a gob of money, I’ve always gone the receiver route, decent source, and middle of the road speakers, using entry level wires. Then begin adding when and where it’s needed. I went always with an amp addition then.

With a gob of duckets I’d still stick pretty close to that plan depending on my decision to go 2ch or multi as the end result. If the idea was multi ch sound, I’d not get too crazy there and could live with monitors all around, though my past says one pair should be as full range as I can afford. In multi ch, the speaker costs can be hefty and half the budget isn’t uncommon.

In two ch as attractive as the speaker buying aspect seems to be, the front end does mean more in the final analysis. From scratch, I’d get a really decent integrated amp. As nice a source as I could find two good power cords, Decent ICs & speaker cables. The balance of the funds would go towards speakers.

Great loudspeakers don’t sound so great with mediocre front ends as a rule. Midlevel loudspeakers can sound fantastic with great front ends though.

Quite naturally, and it stands to reason, where ever you can add more performance/money to the now system later you will be well served. Be it at the front end, along the way, or at the rear, into the speakers.

As esthetically appealing as are loudspeakers, and certainly as necessary as they are, they need not be seen as the prize piece of ones system. I would also caution anyone whose intention it is to go get brand new loudspeakers, it isn’t a prerequisite they be new for fine results to be had. Pre-owned do very well indeed.

Lastly, if the decision is more set into the esthetic end of the scale, meaning their color or wood coverings HAVE to be one way or another, I WOULD STRONGLY recommend some reconsideration of that note from a fiduciary stand point alone. There’s not a large market for resale of white, purple, green, or zebra striped speakers. They may be stunning at first to look at, but that visual appeal may fade soon thereafter, and oh, what if you’re moving or redecorating in a couple years or so? Specially adorned cabinetry is an elite or niche pick entirely. They diminish later changes and choices.

I know I’ll not be going that way ever again. Classic semi, or piano gloss black, or better yet, a nice warm actual wood veneer well finished will be my choice henceforth. Dark for the most part too.

My current speakers comprise about 25% or so of my system, not counting accessories or cabling… less than 20% I believe if they are added in too. My speakers retail for about $7K at last look. I love ‘em. They sound super. But following the remodeling, their color, to me, is all wrong now.

Plans change. Things one has no idea what so ever to do later on may yet materialize. Going whole hog up front on some pricey speakers without some dedicated plan and lots of resolve can wind up being an expensive move. Or at least, a very regrettable one.

Factor in also if there are limitations of the signal’s purity prior to it’s introduction to the loudspeaker itself, you have undermined the performance of your transducers. Speakers can not make up for signal loss or degradation. This detraction of the signal is the only way to decrease a loudspeakers ability to recreate. Consequently, it doesn’t seem sensible to place the larger portion of the budget there.to do so will cost you music and money. Always.

Just because it's pertinent and works, I'll interject this once again... and from time to time for the newbies and other's.

A great front end makes even decent speakers better.

Determining your goals in advance will make your speaker choices fewer and to some degree easier.

Easy impedance loads and good to very good efficiency ratings will also afford one far greater flexibility as one tries this and that with regard to system components (amps) along the way.

Middle of the pack $4K to $6K speakers can sound like greatest speakers on earth when the front end attached to them is up to snuff.

Great speakers do not make great front ends... but fine electronics do make very good speakers great. true too there are some very good quite forgiving loudspeakers on the market and even so so gear will make them sing pretty well. Apart from those units however, refined well heeld and resolute speakers require the same in the signal being fed to them.

The keys will always be the same... room size... room acoustics... and the amp feeding the transducers being mated properly to their particular needs.

Systems that are balanced will yeild results beyond the sum of their parts.

So spend what you wish on squeakers but do remember, it's a symbiotic relationship and not a parasitic relationship. Speakers which remain at one third to one half of the total enterprise should be sane enough choices.

The short answer IMO seems to be to spend what you can when you can with the notion in mind that speakers do play a significant role, but not THE role in an excellent sounding system... as everything matters... and I do mean everything.