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Which area of components to spend the most $ on? Boy I was wrong all my life!

I have been an audio junkie for about 25 years. All those years, I have read plenty of discussion posts and recommendations where to spend the most money on. The majority, even the experts recommend to spend the most money on speakers. Up to as high as 60% of the total budget.Example: CEO of PS Audio-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYwL7vPkPhg
I believed this all my life. Today, my eyes are opened. My total budget is about $15K.Before today, my system was:Speakers-Revel F36 Concerta 2 (For the money, this is the best speakers I’ve heard. I like it more than my previous Dynaudio Contour 30)Integrated Amp-Marantz PM-10 (Class D, balanced, 400wpc at 4ohms)CD Player-Oppo UDP 205 & Marantz CD 6005 (Some of the best in class)Line conditioner-Furman Elite PFi 15Cables-Kimber 8TC Speaker Cables (Sorry, not a cable nut. I’d rather spend money elsewhere)
I upgraded my front end CD player to... Marantz SA-11S3. I was BLOWN away! This is the greatest upgrade I have ever heard in my life. For 25 years, I was taught to spend the most in speakers. Sorry! It’s the FRONT END! The best source you can afford. The purity transcends down the river. I am blown away by the sheer improvement in detail, clarity, depth, the air around the instruments.
My philosophy has changed.
skimrn

Showing 1 response by bobag

bobag's avatar
bobag
9 posts
 
Hi, 
I’ve been a music lover for 55 or so years and an audiophile for about 50 years. 
In my opinion, Paul McGowan of PS Audio is correct. While “GIGO” and “any system is only as strong as it’s weakest link” philosophies are both true, it seems to me that the engineering of transducers is the most difficult task and therefore generally the weakest link in audio reproduction. The amplification stages seem pretty mature by now. The digital front end is still a rather immature technology and is undergoing much change. 
Although vinyl can sound good and is undergoing a “resurgence fad”,  I rarely listen to my large vinyl collection including some direct to disks because of the inconvenience and because I regard the platform as impractical because of it’s built in seemingly insurmountable physical limitations. 
The biggest problem I have in choosing equipment is a proper comparison environment.
Well that is where I sit with audio opinion at the moment.
Good luck everyone! 🙂
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