What percentage do you spend on each component?


I think I remember a similar thread here but I couldn't find it. Just curious to see how others have allocated funds toward their system. What percentage of your total system cost have you spent on each component (based on new prices).

Me:

Front End (CDP) 27%
Preamp 0% (None)
Amplification 40%
Speakers 24%
Cables 9%
dburdick
I did not pre-calculate a budget, but here is what I've got:

TT/arm/cart - 31%(DIY kit)
CD player - 13%
preamp - 15%(heavily DIY modded)
amp - 25%
speakers - 14%(DIY)
cables - 1% DIY)
room treatments - 1% (DIY)

Obviously, I am heavy into the front end, which reflects my philosophy on system design. The rest is pretty balanced. But, my speakers are DIY, which would definitely cost alot more if they were factory made. Same with the cables and room treatments. The TT is a Teres kit, which saved me a bundle compared to the performance level it provides. My total system cost is about $12k. It would have been much higher without DIY, and I am very happy with the results of my DIY performance at lower cost.I estimate that if I had to buy equivalent performing products that I did not DIY, the system cost would have been close to $24k(double).

Nobody, including me, has included the cost of their music in the budget. Interesting.
Jim is right. The old rule of thumb was 50% on your speakers and divide up the remaining half amongst everything else. Then the pendulum swung to the "source is everything" perspective. Now it seems to be swinging back a bit and perhaps will settle in the middle. That being said, it is the easiest thing in the world to demonstrate that speakers have more impact on the sound than any other component in the signal chain. That doesn't mean you need to spend huge amounts on your speakers, only that you should choose them with care.

will
I actually mistated my question a little. I didn't mean to say "what did you allocate?" but rather "how did it end up?", since I don't think most of us plan how much we're gonna spend ahead of time.
just happened this way
vpi tt 44%
krell phono 9
pass pre & power used 22
cardas, straighwire & kimber 11
focus audio speakers 13
5 cd changer .005
nikko gamma 1 tuner used .005
Well I'm here to skew the numbers for you all.

SCAD player: 11%
pre-amp: 6%
amps: 15%
speakers: 14%
cables/conditioning: 49%
tweaks: 5%