Relative component value to overall SQ.


There is a lot of discussion about various things in the hi-fi audio component chain and how they affect SQ and as a beginner it would be interesting to see how folks rate the relative value of these items.

This is not necessarily meant to be a hierarchy. What I would like to see is a percentage value for each item in the chain. Total must be 100%.

I realize this is an artificial construct but I think for newbies building a system it would help them know where to start and where to put initial emphasis.

For simplicity I am leaving out the signal source. Let’s assume that the CDP, DAC, streamer, server or TT are delivering an optimal signal of an optimal recording to the system.

I included room optimization since that is also likely critical.

The components are as follows; assign a percentage to each. Total must be 100 :

Speakers
Speaker cables
Amp
Amp power cord
Interconnect cables
Pre-Amp
Pre-amp power cord
Interconnect cables (to source)
Room optimization


n80

Showing 4 responses by elizabeth

Not only is this what I would tell a newbie. This is what I would do myself if I have to start over and did not have $30,000 to $50,000 to play with... (I am assuming not a lot of money to spend here. If you DO have $50,000.. then forget what I am writing!)
As far as money goes, a newbie should be spending zero on ’room treatments’. First off you have no idea what to listen for on placing them. And thus IMO you are 90% likely to place them wrong. Or you are placing them where some online guru who also has no idea since they are not there in your room, but they have the chutzpah, and you don’t.
As for cables.. zero on power cords. the stuff came with power cords. use those. Buy bulk power cord for the speaker cable. Folks used it for fifty year before high end. Still works just fine save a bundle. Buy cheap IC, Blue Jeans, Kimber PBJ, etc.. I would tell a newbie to spend a lot on the speakers. used would be best. Not more than 40% to 50%. there IS a danger you buy speaker which are too good, and show the badness of your other cheap stuff! Then on the source. 20% to 30%
Plenty of cheap decent used amplifiers and preamps at a low price.Brand is not so important. just a well known one. All the malarkey about particular brands is malarkey for a newbie. older is fine. particularly find really old used ones where the previous owner replaced the caps in the past few years, usually a good deal. 20% max..
I have to say some costs are total chance. Particularly if the person who 'came over and wanted ME to help them buy a system.. from scratch'. Used components usually one goes with what is good AND for sale. One could wait for eternity for all the specific used items one suggested as the 'only' one. Today I could pick out a hundred nice preamp and or amplifiers, ditto speakers in endless combinations.I would say the op is trying to box in the impossible. I would talk to the person FIRST. Do they think a high sensitivity speaker to go with a small tube amp? Or a solid bass gut massaging type speaker? How big is the room? does the system have to big time WAF, or can it dominate the room? Do they have any fantasy notions about some designs? Speakers in particular car be hated or loved for the way they look beside how they sound.                
There is no way a percentage can have any meaning as some sort of rule, except in the most generalized way. So generalized it becomes meaningless.
bdp24: Excellent  point finding an amp which is considered good with the chosen speakers! Important to have an amp working (synergy) with the speakers.
To different styles clashing in this thread. One the one hand list makers, percentage takers, On the other folks who are taking it as life hands it to them on he fly. No problem with either strategy, as long as it works for you. tJust realize the other person's mind is using a different strategy than yours.