What was your biggest priority?

About equal for preamp,amps and speakers. Cable certainly is close. It really depends on what system your setting up. A two channel system will probably balance more equally between amps and speakers, unless you want to spring for the highest cost cable and interconnects. The preamp with appropriate d/a tech. may influence your decision on cd or dvd.

Mine worked out as follows:

Int. amp - 40% (used)
Speakers - 30% (new)
CD Player - 20% (new)
Cables/IC's - 10% (new)

I low-balled on the CD as I want to pick up a better used CDP soon. Also, the cable/IC # will change when I buy PC's for the stock ones. Oh, then there are power conditioners too, up the number agan.

Finally, let me say that I do believe in the balanced system scenario, it just makes sense (Thanx Viridian).

My biggest expense has been source material. Most expensive component was CD player, next Amp and Preamp. My speakers are home made, so not as much money spent there unless I count my labor - then they would be on top of the list.

Speaker/room is the highest priority. Then source, followed by pre/amp required to achieve proper SPLs musically.

I built my own room,to accommodate my system. If you do not have the room it is A waste to upgrade. The room can not show of the potential of the system with out it. If you are blessed with A good room,then I think that the speakers are the most important link in a system. They have the most change in sound than any other part of your system. Once you have the first two then you can really judge the rest of your system by tring other components to your liking. What ever is your listing preference is. They only have to please your ear, no one but yours. The argument will go on for years about the best components. Its what your ear tells you