Poll: Most impactful component

There's this guy on youtube who plays in the upper high end of audio equipment. I watch him occasionally and managed to notice the DAC is one component that lasts through his high velocity testing.

If you don't stream I suppose preamps rank supreme. It seems even if one streams digital music, other components matter more?

I told myself that I would not buy anything for system until I get some real speakers in my room. I think I have the answer.

For me the most critical component is myself. Sitting back and just enjoying the music is all that is needed. Second would be the source. Even my old garage system sounds good streaming through my ifi zen blue. Can’t tell if it’s the dac, the implementation output from the zen or the clean streaming content or all the above making a chain. 

Speakers determine the character of a system. I think of  them like raising kids. I used to think that I could influence my young kids to act/live like I wanted them to. Now I realize they are who they are and are largely born that way. My mom would say that kids come into this world with their bags packed. I could only influence my kids  5 to 10%. Speakers are the same. They have a built in personality, and I can only move their sound 5 to 10% with system and cable changes. I was on a "more resolution" kick for several decades. That led to speaker choices of B&W 801 matrix, and Wilson Sasha 2s. I spent forever and lots of  $ trying to move their personality to a less harsh more musical sound with components and cables. I then bought Rockport Cygnus Speakers and I love their inherent  sound. Component matching is easy now as I am adding components that complement the speakers sound, not ones that try and muffle or change a sound character I hear as too bright. The lesson I learned is that the speaker is the primary determinate of your system's sound, so I spend as much or more than I should on my speakers.  My caveat is that these impressions are from one set of ears, in my room, with my components, your milage my vary.  

Speaker...

Source.  Nothing can fix a bad source.

As digital sources all sound the same, I can see how folks assume the speakers make the biggest difference. I maintain that, in a vinyl-based system, the source is most important, with phono, pre, power, speakers in descending order of impact. Of course, any system is only as good as the sum of its parts—the corollary being that a weak component can bring it all down.

@noromance 

"As digital sources all sound the same, I can see how folks assume the speakers make the biggest difference."

I'm surprised that you would make such an ignorant comment.

@roxy54 I was kidding!

Oh good. It didn't seem like something that you would say, which is why I was surprised. My apologies.

For varying reasons,  I toggle back and forth between a PrimaLuna integrated and Pass amp/Cary preamp combo.  I also recently upgraded from a NODE/Qutest (w/ SBoosters) combo to an Innuos Mini/PSAudio combo.  Zu speakers are the constant.  Nordost cables.  Stream exclusively.   No question that the Pass/Cary/Innuos/PSA combo delivers the best listening experience to my ears.  That's not answering your question other than to suggest the obvious that it all matters.  If I had to pick, though, I think the streamer upgrade made the biggest difference in my modest system.

which component has the most potential to improve a stereo system?

I think it depends on system deficiencies.

I have B&W 804`s teamed up with an Acurus A-150 power amp. (a BIG no-no!).

 In order to rectify the harshness in the upper frequincies, I inserted a tubed preamp into the system. I `ve taken a sows ear and made it into a silk purse.

Generally speaking I think it`s the preamp, and/or a DAC.

1. Room

2. Speaker position

3. Everything else

To me it’s speakers ( EPIC CF4 VI) way better than any speakers ever in my room it’s not about the price but the dynamics clarity and bass response room will be second and Preamp Third 

@lordrootman 

I'm with you on the speakers. There's a current thread asking if there are any really good speakers for $10k. I read that and felt like I was in another world, because after I spent a fortune on a 19 other speakers, I discovered the Epic CF4 version 1, and they were the best I have ever owned.

@roxy54 

Im glad few people know how good they are if not we can’t afford them lol 😂 

True. It's funny, after all of the thought and research that I did for other speakers that I bought, I bought these on a lark because I read a single customer review, and a short time later I found a pair of Version 1's for sale and bought them on a lark because I had 1k sitting around that wasn't spoken for. It is truly the best money I ever spent on audio.

Yes I think recently some guy dive into it with reviews and comparing to a lot of different speakers it’s interesting to read

https://silverfacestereo.com/2015/05/13/epic-klipsch-cf-4/

Do integrateds, kind of an all in one, have their role?

someone mentioned room which may dictate your choice of speakers. But controlling for room, speakers and their placement appear to be most important.

BigKidz - that is great insight built on years of your valuable experience.  I have been really fortunate to have the opportunity to have auditioned and owned some great gear and what what you have shared as your experience is very similar to mine.  I have a much, much, much smaller sampling size I’m sure.  I stream 99 % of the time for my 2 channel listening and if the source isn’t right, you won’t be able to tweak or fix with gear after the source.  Get the source and speakers right, after that, the amplifier, the Pre can elevate the system. The Pre can be that last piece that wows you but you’ll never get to that moment if everything else isn’t in place.  A bad, noisy Pre can really bring down your system or lack of synergy between your gear, I’ve had great Pre’s and Amps that aren’t great fits together so matching gear properly is important as well.  Insight provided by seasoned audiophiles stating everything matters is so true, paying attention to power, good quality interconnects / speaker wire (they don’t need to be expensive), the often neglected room acoustics and or speaker placement are all pieces to the puzzle.  Great insight, thanks for sharing. 

Turntable

Speakers then DAC if streaming

Leaving the source out..... speakers, preamplifier,  amplifier,  cables. In that order

For my system it’s a quality standalone DAC that had the biggest impact. My listening consists of 75% CDs and 25% streaming.

Speakers are the most critical component.  

For my system it’s a quality standalone DAC that had the biggest impact. My listening consists of 75% CDs and 25% streaming.

@mksun 

DAC with LPS? Type of DAC technology or DAC chip?

Do these factors matter? 🤔

@tee_dee I have a Denafrips Pontus II which is an R2R ladder DAC. Yes different types of DAC technologies and chips do matter and affect the sound.

I have the Audio Mirror R2R Tubed Ladder DAC.....$3500. Absolutely the most Musical DAC  I've heard. 

For me, it has been my Klipsch Lascalas. I did work on getting rid of the nasties inherent in the design, with great success, and they do everything I want them to do, connecting me with the musicianship / performance, of EVERY recording I listen to.

I sit on sofa directed at my system. An upgrade to an arm chair would be nice. 

The final Transducer (speaker/room) by a country mile, followed by the amplifier.  

Another vote for speaker/room.

I bought the speakers I've used for the past 17 years based on a forum member's recommendation. In the meantime, I've moved from a CDP to separate DAC + transport, upgraded all cabling and upgraded integrateds three times. I haven't  felt a need to upgrade speakers, so I guess I just lucked out. 

If I had the extra cash, I might upgrade them to the current version but not before upgrading my DAC. 

1. Room

2. Setup

3. Speakers

4. Source

5. Amp

6. Preamp

7. Cables

i like your list and sequence @tomcarr 👍

my only comment is that 1, 2 and 3 are usually a simultaneous solve...

Thank you @jjss49 !

I have gotten better results focusing on the room, setup, and speakers individually.

At least, I think I have...;)

Nothing can replace a room/speakers acoustic optimization, certainly not an upgrade in dac... nowadays, i know it by experience, dac technology is mature...The problem is picking a dac with a good synergetical complementarity with the amplifier and the speakers or headphones...

I spoke about MAJOR improvement with acoustic here not marginal improvement going from one good dac to another good one...

The equivalence between room/speakers is an headphone with a relation between the driver and the shell cup well designed....

Most headphones are not acoustically well designed, at least the 9 headphones which are all under my bed nowi owned...

The tenth was a marvel but very hard to optimize it takes me 6 months of listening experiments and modifications around it or inside it and it was necessary to figure out how to listen to them, because we must learn how to listen to speakers or headphone if we want to optimize them acoustically... Akg K340 hybrid is my ONLY choice now... Upgrading is unnecessary for me...

None of this works without electricity. The outlet on the wall is my #1 component.

For sure your observation is very right grislybutter...

There is three impactful embeddings controls dimensions : mechanical, ( vibrations/resonance) electrical ( noise floor level ) And acoustical....

These embeddings controls three dimensions are in a way more important than choices between equivalent upgrade if your system is already good to begin with for sure...