Both, but if I had to pick one I'd say preamp. I found in my system changing from one cable manufacture recently to another really opened the stage more than anything or upgrade I've done in sometime. The difference between speaker types and brand will make more of a difference. Not sure it's as simple as one component over another but the complete system and the room. It's complicated. Between preamp and amp, I'd say preamp. If you're preamp is not as good or better than your amp then it'll hold everything else back, including the amp.
Soundstage - Amp or Preamp?
Sorry if this may sound like a dumb question but this is something I've been wondering about for a while. For me, one of the biggest criteria in defining a good "system" set up is how well it can create a realistic soundstage. I know the choice of speakers, room acoustics/size, and placement play a critical role in the quality of soundstage but assuming all things being equal, between the amplifier(s) and the preamplifier, which component contributes more to the quality of the soundstage? I know there are many other criteria to assess the quality of a system but I'm only asking about the soundstage. Hope the question makes sense.
Thanks.
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