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Which area of components to spend the most $ on? Boy I was wrong all my life!

I have been an audio junkie for about 25 years. All those years, I have read plenty of discussion posts and recommendations where to spend the most money on. The majority, even the experts recommend to spend the most money on speakers. Up to as high as 60% of the total budget.Example: CEO of PS Audio-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYwL7vPkPhg
I believed this all my life. Today, my eyes are opened. My total budget is about $15K.Before today, my system was:Speakers-Revel F36 Concerta 2 (For the money, this is the best speakers I’ve heard. I like it more than my previous Dynaudio Contour 30)Integrated Amp-Marantz PM-10 (Class D, balanced, 400wpc at 4ohms)CD Player-Oppo UDP 205 & Marantz CD 6005 (Some of the best in class)Line conditioner-Furman Elite PFi 15Cables-Kimber 8TC Speaker Cables (Sorry, not a cable nut. I’d rather spend money elsewhere)
I upgraded my front end CD player to... Marantz SA-11S3. I was BLOWN away! This is the greatest upgrade I have ever heard in my life. For 25 years, I was taught to spend the most in speakers. Sorry! It’s the FRONT END! The best source you can afford. The purity transcends down the river. I am blown away by the sheer improvement in detail, clarity, depth, the air around the instruments.
My philosophy has changed.
skimrn
4krow
79 posts
 
Good thread, to be sure. My experience has changed for a few reasons. I bet reason number one is a change in my hearing. The highs were so important to me at one time. If I could hear them, they still would be. So, that aspect changed my consideration for sound preference. My age changed what I wanted in bass. My listening room made me expect a different outcome from my system. So now, while I consider speakers to be the most important, the associated equipment must allow a different presentation than in the past.
 For how ever you choose to spend your money on all audio, do it when you can still appreciate those differences.
tastyfreeze's avatar
tastyfreeze
94 posts
 
A sound guy in the '80s explained hi-fi setups and it all must add up to 100%.   Sounds simple,  Unless you have great speakers all the other stuff before it is wasted, so spend all the money you can to get the right speakers for what you need.  The value here is 80%+.  Unless you a have a great recording all the other stuff has to make up the difference.  The values here of good source and good reproduction is 15%+.  
Yep, all the other audio equipment. The value here is 3%+. Everyone overspends in this segment.    
I argued the math, but the math proved to be right +/-.  
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
"add up to 100%'... True it may not. but IMO 80% is fine. not a problem. Math is in your head, the real wold is not math. You can turn most of the real World into math, but that action is again, in your head.                       
I spent slightly more real money on AC duplex power conditioners power cords and interconnects as on my speakers...
My sources, total equals the money on speakers..The amplification also about equals the total on speakers.And yet, of all money spent in the current stereo, Less than 20% is the speakers.. fuzzy fuzzy math, but good logic.
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david_ten
2,509 posts
 
If I could hear them, they still would be. So, that aspect changed my consideration for sound preference.

@4krow  What you raise is interesting and may be valuable as a stand-alone thread.

Something along the lines of "how our gear selection changes over time due to hearing and other age related changes" ... since your post (above) touches on this, maybe you can start a thread? Thanks.
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
2,267 posts
 
In some sense, looking at this issue from a pure monetary standpoint or percentages, can be misleading.  There are plenty of overpriced components and ancillaries that can throw off the margins quite a bit.  Quality can be found at various price points, while finding the right synergy between components and the environment will always be the most elusive part of this pastime!  
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