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What's most important?

I had some friends over last night, and we started to discuss the different things that go into assembling a high quality stereo playback system. The level of disagreement, and the heated discourse, was both fun and surprising. Here is what I think, in order from most important, to least: 1).THE ROOM/SPEAKER INTERFACE- choosing the right speaker, and placing it properly in an acoustically "sound" room with a dedicated power line. If this is wrong (like a Wilson Grand Slamm in 12 x 12 x 8 room) well, then why bother with the rest. 2). THE SPEAKER/AMP INTERFACE- this is a close second, and depending on the circumstances, might even be first. If there is a REAL problem here(like low impedance/sensitivity speakers w/SET amps) nothing else will matter much. 3). THE AMP/PREAMP INTERFACE- again, this seems to be the next place where things can go really wrong in an audio system. 4) SOURCE COMPONENTS- I know, this is lower on my list than most people would like, and I don't mean to infer that source components don't affect the quality of a playback system. Of course they do. I just feel that if the above issues have not been addressed, then simply throwing a reference quality source into the system might not be the best way to maximize the potential of said system. 5). INTERCONNECTS AND SPEAKER WIRE 6). ISOLATON DEVICES, A/C CORDS, POWER CONDITIONERS, AND OTHER VARIOUS TWEAKS.....Well there it is. Again, in an ideal system, ALL of the above issues would (should) be addressed sooner or later. But how would you prioritize things, and why? Release the hounds........Robert K.
deborah1
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Amen, Sam. Some of the most listenable systems I have been around featured nothing more than a nice CD player, an EL34 based integrated tube amp, modestly priced cables, and pair of easy to drive, fabric domed tweeter speakers.
deborah1 OP
30 posts
 
Sam, most of the guys who were over last night would agree with you. But we never really spoke about system budget, or exactly how much you should spend on each component in a system. Just what is most important, FIRST. Just to play devils advocate, how do you think this would work out, using your example of modest amp and budget speakers with a GOOD CDP/Turntable? Vandersteen 2Ce, Bryston 3B-ST, and a Resoluton Audio CD50 in a room 11 x 9 x 7 with no acoustic treatments and hard plaster walls? My buddy has this exact set up, and no matter what he tries,the sound is terrible. Last week I took my pair of Dunlavy SC-I (monitor sized speakers in the same price range as the Vandersteens) over to his place along with a package of mini roomtunes, and guess what? Greatly improved sound, with little fuss, because the speakers are a better match for the room. NOW he can really hear the benefits of upgrading his front end, amplification, wires, etc. So in this case, what was more important? Getting a great front end FIRST, or correctly matching the speakers to the room FIRST? Of course Sam, you are 100% correct when you say *garbage in, garbage out* but ONLY if the speakers AND the room allow you to hear the difference. In other words, when I say that the SPEAKER/ROOM INTERFACE is MOST important, I'm not saying that you should spend MORE on speakers than on a great front end. Just that without a proper room and speaker match, nothing else seems to matter much. The debate continues.....Robert K.
deborah1 OP
30 posts
 
I do agree with Trelja. I have also heard simple systems that sound fantastic. But what IS or IS NOT a musical system is not the subject, nor is the subject how to allocate a system budget. Notice that in my thread topic, I never comment on HOW much you should spend on a given component. You might spend $400 on speakers, and $4000 on source components, but I still think that the SPEAKER/ROOM INTERFACE as I've described it, is most important. So what do you think is most important? And please be as specific as possible. If the source is first, what is second? Third? Last? Why? I feel the dogs of war creeping up on me......Robert K.
no_money
638 posts
 
11x9x7? I would stick to monitor sized speakers, better to roll off the bottom then have too much for the room.
trelja
3,223 posts
 
Robert K, you are correct about the room/speaker interface. The more I think about it, the more I have to give you your due. The system is NOTHING if the speakers don't: A)mate well with the room & B)aren't positioned correctly. In fact, some of the most amusical setups you will hear reside in some dealer's listening rooms. Whether they be lined with brick or plaster, they are often stark and sterile(usually WAY larger than they should be - becoming an echo chamber). Not much in the way of furniture or thick carpets, but usually overstocked with room treatments(which they will tell you a system is incomplete without). Also, I have visited some dealers who have so much equipment lying around that it is impossible to position the pair of speakers that I came to hear that day in anything but a horrible configuration(if they allow you to move them at all). Then they will try to sell me on a home installation(not cheap), saying that I could not possibly know how to set up a system(in MY home) as well as they do. I even got someone quite a bit offended when I pointed out(very politely) to him that he should take his own advice. I merely said that I needed to move his speakers into a better position(after he spent 20 minutes telling me that it is a MUST for him to come out and position the speakers at my house because, "Speaker positioning is everything!").
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