2. tech-talk
  3. 1200569600

The most important link in the chain...

Hello everyone!
Over the years, I've read numerous different opinions on what is the most important link in a system chain. Somehow, in most audio reviews, you will come up with a statement about the importance of the category of the component being reviewed. "If the source is poor in performance, nothing can be done to improve the sound", "Preamp is were everything goes in and leaves from. If preamp is incapable of letting the information flow, result shall be poor", "Power amp sends the signal to the speakers. If power amp is incompetent, so shall be the signal and, hence, the music", "No matter how good your system is, if speakers are bad, everything else is in vain" etc etc. You can see similar statements concerning interconnects, speaker cacles, power cables, filters, power etc. I've read an interview of a 70 year old audiophile with a system costing $200,000 saying that power is 50% and equipment rack is 30% of the overall performance of the system! I think you see were it is getting to...
In your opinion, which is the most important link in the chain and why would that be? If thread proves popular, we might be able to create some charts; see how the audiogoners feel and think about that issue.
Thank you all!
myronk
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Basic System
40% - speakers
20% - amplification
15% - preamp
20% - source
5% - accessories, cables

T.B.C
Mrjstark


Wow! I'm way out of wack!

I just did a quick, rough calculation of my system and I got:

17% - Speakers
9% - Amplification
17% - Preamplification (including phono preamp)
27% - Sources (20% analog /7% digital)
30% - Accessories and cables

Of course there is much to fall into the accessory category, from PLC's to isolation devices to tweaks. It just goes to show that there's more than one way to skin a cat.

Cheers,
John
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
4,163 posts
 
It's not external, YOU are the most important link. Your intelligence, sophistication and ambition mated with your sense of hearing will be a greater determinant of how successful a musical experience you can create than any component. It's what you bring to the game that really matters.

And don't forget the size of your investment portfolio. It's a low down shame, but it can cost serious money. Not just the equipment, but to attain housing that has a good room with the freedom to do what is sonically best can be quite costly.
mrjstark
1,112 posts
 
" It just goes to show that there's more than one way to skin a cat."
I like that expression.........John.

However.....
My cat is death.

But you are right John, there are more ways of killing a dog than choking him with pudding.(i like this one too)
It isn't the rule - it is just my pudding............

.........................
t_bone
1,182 posts
 
I would have said "the room" is most important, but now that I read some of the other responses, I would tend to agree with the people who said that the most important "component" is the listener (and his/her priorities). I noticed when I thought about it how difficult it is actually to quantify how important the room is and making the listening area 'right'.

Seperately, I thought Mrjstark's breakdown of percentages was interesting, resembling lists I have seen before. It is substantially different than mine though it is easy to make a case for his breakdown, especially for a $10k system. At $5k, the 5% for cables/accessories is a bit low, even for doing that part DIY.
mrjstark
1,112 posts
 
Hi T bone.
Well it is somewhat low, but it reflects my own view on cables and tweaks in general. To give you more accurate numbers I did looked at my system a little closer. Percentage is just a guide line......I am not sure if I fit in my own rule table........??????
Lets see....(basic system like I said) :
*speakers $7000 (my cost $4,200)
*amplifiers $4000 (-----$2800)
*preamp $2600 (-----$1700)
*source $4000 (-----$2400)
*cables/tweaks/accessories $1,600 90% new
So......yes you were right....it is just under 10%.
However, voltage stabilizer is also used by my video components.
More to discover