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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
wisker's avatar
wisker
4 posts
 
I invest some of my money every 6 months to get my ears professionally cleaned. Best trick I have ever found. A good Ear, Nose & Throat Doctor will use a vacuum device and not the old bulb and warm water routine. You can put this on your insurance also. So here is a low cost fix that is a great help.
mpit's avatar
mpit
56 posts
 
I have been buying high end speakers for the past 20 plus years.  I find speakers make the biggest difference in overall sound than any other components.  I usually keep speakers about 6 month and then move on to something new.  It is fun to try different things. 

I also like to try speakers that look good as well.  MBL's come to mind.  Currently I have Stealth 6's and they are great looking speakers.  Everybody who comes into the sound room has something to say about them.  They do steal the show!

jimski
46 posts
 
"The front end sets the limits of resolution for the system."  As many have said in this good thread.

How does that signal get to the rest of the system?  Wires.  No matter how good the source component is and how great the signal it produces, if the wires won't let most of that signal through, very little has been gained by the otherwise correct focus on front end.

Learning the effect of wires a few years ago was the biggest, most unexpected--and most cost effective--piece of learning in my decades of building a system, and one that has been repeated many times as I've gone through a total upgrading of my system's wires.
Jim Heckman
Post removed 
mrvordo's avatar
mrvordo
151 posts
 
+1 @millercarbon

Also, I have found that the pre amp is the "heart" of the system. Everything passes through it so you want it to be as transparent as possible. To get the best from your speakers you have to have the best components upstream. They can't perform their best with garbage being fed to them.
So, if you are starting from scratch, spend approximately equally on all components. I consider cables a component by the way.If you are on an upgrade path, spend the most on the pre FIRST, and "grow"  into it with your other component up grades.Good listening,Z
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