Source or speaker

Let me pile on with Photon46 and disagree with Bob's contention that there's little difference among solid state pieces and among digital pieces. The difference are actually very large.

However, at the lower end of the price range, Bob assertion has more validity.

Dave

Well, a great source can't fix a limited speaker, but in my budget I've spent way more on sources than on speakers.

My TT cost about the same as my speakers and my digital front end cost three times as much. (You apparently haven't heard good digital yet, as it can compete). Also, I spent as much on cables and ICs as I spent on the speakers.

If someone had $5000 to spend, I'd probably say 20% on speakers, 20% on an integrated amp that works with those speakers, 20% on CDP or digital interface, 20% on TT rig and 20% on cables/ICs. Getting below $5000 I'd eliminate one of the sources and scrimp on IC/cords and add or improve those over time.

I spent about 45% on sources, 33% on the integrated amp, 12% on the speakers and 10% on ICs/cords. However, if I get a bigger room, I could raise the speaker investment to around 40-50% and not need to upgrade any of my other pieces.

Dave

Shadorne, my rooms have all worked without treatment, every place I've lived since 1969. My rooms tend to be carpeted and relatively stuffed with furniture and of relatively large size, so that mitigates my need to treat somewhat. However, the assumption that every room will need treatment does not jive with my personal experience.

My example earlier in this thread had a speaker investment around $1,000. At that price point you can find some very nice designs that use good, off-the-shelf drivers combined with good cabinet and crossover design. A top echelon $1000 speaker with good electronics will easily reveal weaknesses in the cables, ICs and the source.

I think it was on the Stereophile blog where I recently saw a survey of audiophiles. A very high percentage of those responding say that they have between $5000 and $10000 invested in their systems. That's enough money, like my proposed $5000 system, to put together a really revealing and musically satisfying rig. I think that spending $2500 on speakers for such a system and $100 on wire would be a mistake, yet many people would chose to do that.

Dave

Good point. I agree with picking the speaker first and then adding synergistic components. However, in allocating the budget, I like 20% for each major piece in a base-line system.

Dave

Pedrillo, are you listening in mono and stereo? If yes, then the two arm TT makes lots of common sense; otherwise, you're a "reviewer" comparing various cartridges, etc. That's actually fine and can be fun. I just wanted to be sure where you're at in this hobby. ;-)

Dave