The most important piece in a stereo system???

Great question. I used to think speakers, until I brought the Tenor Audio amplifiers into my home. They were so much better and different than any other amplifiers I heard, that I had to re-adjust my thinking. Shortly after, I became a dealer for Tenor. I know some will try to bash me for this response, but I do not care. I am speaking as an audiophile not a dealer.

I started re-evaluating whether I would be better off finding amps that matched speakers, or speakers that matched amps. Since the Tenor's are 75 watts per channel, they clearly will not drive some speakers to their maximum potential. So, knowing that the Tenor's are the finest amplifiers I have ever heard, it was a clear choice, build around the Tenor's.

I have heard the Tenor's make mediocre speakers sound very special, but I have never heard a mediocre amplifier make really great speakers sound good.

Since the Tenor amplifiers are integrated, I obviously do not have to worry about a preamp. All that would be left is a source and cables.

My recommendation to you, is to find the most impressive product that you can, and build around it. For some it is the preamp, others the speakers. For me, it turned out to be the amplifiers.

Good luck,

Jonathan

I like Jonathan's last bit of advice, it seems like that's what I've done, as I've built my system around my Jadis JP80 preamp and JA80 amps. My feeling was that the preamp was the most important component, as everything in the sources runs through it, so I stretched to get my dream pre and amps about 10 years ago and have worked around them since. I've been fortunate to have a good room, but I would also agree with others as to the importance of the listening room as well, as I've heard very impressive equipment severely compromised by poor listening rooms.

The source (turntable or CD player).

Think about the audio replication process and the answer(s) are clear: the transition from mechanical to electrical signal (phono cartridge dragging thru vinyl, laser reading a CD) and then vice versa (speaker taking electrical signal and converting to cone/driver movement) are OBVIOUSLY the most critical processes in reproducing audio - everything in between simply pushes electrons around. Therefore, it makes good sense to spend the bulk of your audio dollars on a great turntable/cartridge setup followed by a great set of speakers.

The advent of digital sources has changed this balance somewhat, and I would now counsel someone to spend most of their bucks on great speakers - great speakers hooked up to a mid-fi system will still sound very good, crappy speakers (why does the phrase Bose 901 come to mind?) powered by an audiophile system will always sound crappy.

Speakers = 40-50%
Input source = 20-30%
Sound processing/amplification = 20-30%

I take a bookend approach. I believe the DAC is the most important piece, followed by the speakers, then the pre-amp, then the amp, then powercords,then the power conditioner, then speaker cable, then interconnects, then the transport. I base this on my preception (flawed and colored by taste) on the general level of development in the Audio Industry. I think there's more variation in DACs and Speakers then in the other components, hence perception and taste come more into play than with the other pieces.