Let me challenge the majority wisdom here.
Yes, the overall quality is that of the weakest link, yes if the signal starts bad in the beginning can't improve down the link
But those are all qualitative statement. Let me try and put some quantitative in that, albeit subjective I realize.
Thing is that the difference between a mid priced CD or AMP (not to speak of the cables) and a top of the line one is minimal. Say is a 90 vs a 100. While the difference in sound quality between equivalent mid priced or top speakers is like 10 to 100 !
Say that any component degrades to an extent an ideal perfect sound quality of 100.
You start with 100 because you have a perfect CD. But then you have just medium quality speakers that get that down to 50.
Vice versa with a mid priced CD you may start with a 90 but keep it to 90 or 80 because of your top of the line speakers
In other words, yes, the weakest link, ok, but you should look into what component of your chain has the widest influence on sound quality and that would definitely be the speakers.
Industry pushes electronics upgrade because they are easier to swap IMHO.
So my eventual 2 c: spend 90% on speakers, 9% on the fron end and 1% on cables !!!
The opinionated speakers extremist
Yes, the overall quality is that of the weakest link, yes if the signal starts bad in the beginning can't improve down the link
But those are all qualitative statement. Let me try and put some quantitative in that, albeit subjective I realize.
Thing is that the difference between a mid priced CD or AMP (not to speak of the cables) and a top of the line one is minimal. Say is a 90 vs a 100. While the difference in sound quality between equivalent mid priced or top speakers is like 10 to 100 !
Say that any component degrades to an extent an ideal perfect sound quality of 100.
You start with 100 because you have a perfect CD. But then you have just medium quality speakers that get that down to 50.
Vice versa with a mid priced CD you may start with a 90 but keep it to 90 or 80 because of your top of the line speakers
In other words, yes, the weakest link, ok, but you should look into what component of your chain has the widest influence on sound quality and that would definitely be the speakers.
Industry pushes electronics upgrade because they are easier to swap IMHO.
So my eventual 2 c: spend 90% on speakers, 9% on the fron end and 1% on cables !!!
The opinionated speakers extremist