Everything adds to the sound quality, but some things count more than others. The speakers that you buy set the tone for the rest of the system. Expensive, very revealing speakers will be more sensitive to sources, amps, etc. "warmer," less detailed speakers will be more forgiving of other problems, so you will be able to spend less on the other components. That being said, I listen exclusively to digital these days, and with a very good DAC/power amp combo, you have the foundation for a system that will allow you to expand the quality of the speakers without having to upgrade everything. Remember that more than anything else, speakers play the biggest role in shaping the sound that you hear, while you don't have to shell out big bucks for an amp to get great sound out of them. Get the system set up for your budget and then upgrade things like cables, power conditioners, room treatments and the like.
How much does power amplifier really matter comparing to other hi-fi components?
What is the best ratio (out of a total of 100%) in terms of money to put in a high-end hi-fi set containing:
1. CD player/DAC, 2. Pre-amp, 3. Power-amp, 4. speakers.
(25% will be assigned to each if the 4 parts are equal).
Can we take this as a reference to distribute the budget when buying power-amp?
Looking forward to learning experiences and technical information from audiophiles including hi-fi dealers.
1. CD player/DAC, 2. Pre-amp, 3. Power-amp, 4. speakers.
(25% will be assigned to each if the 4 parts are equal).
Can we take this as a reference to distribute the budget when buying power-amp?
Looking forward to learning experiences and technical information from audiophiles including hi-fi dealers.