Significance of different components of audio ...


Virtually every component in stereo system is important but in my opinion, the impact is roughly in the following order:
critical
1. Quality of recording
2. Room acoustics, including placement of speakers
3. Speakers
...
important
4. Source (CD player, etc.)
5. Amplification
...
usually minor adjustments or fine-tuning
6. Cables
7. Power line, including power conditioning, cleanliness of electrical contacts
8. Some tweaks and adjustments (vibration etc.)
...
negligible, none, detrimental or unsafe
9. Majority of the tweaks...
This might serve as a guideline to allocated budget for properly balanced stereo system.
Do you agree? What's your opinion? What sequence your experience dictates?
jerzy777
In my recent experience with digital transports, I was one who never felt that they made that big of a difference. A buddy of mine lent me his modified Sony DVD players used as a transport and it really opened my eyes to component modifications. That tranport opened my eyes to how important the source really is in a system.

That being said, having the best AC was also a very important part of my systems sound.

Happy Listening.
Jerzy,

I don't think anyone seriously concerned about sound quality could possibly fail to agree with your four broad categories. Critical, Important, fine-tuning and negligable - the exact order within those categories is perhaps a personal preference.

For me there is no doubt that speakers, recording quality and room acoustics are the top three by far, however, my focus is on the sound quality rather than lots of imposing chrome.

I expect many will disagree with you. Many like a system to look like something - a statement - a work of art - something immediately obvious to even an untrained eye - the Pompidou Centre (internal parts displayed externally in an ostentatious manner). For example; imposing source transports, large arrays of tubes, heavy wires suspended on electrical power isolators will be the most important components of those who want s system to be a statement. A perusal of many virtusal systems here will confirm that these systems often resemble a holy shrine or a kind of place of worship. There is nothing wrong in this and these displays will often influence the perception and mood (critical for music enjoyment - just as the venue of a good restaurant adds to the enjoyment of the food)

As Tom Petty put it "It's good to be king, if just for a while
To be there in velvet, yeah, to give ‘em a smile. It’s good to be king and have your own world. Excuse me if I have some place in my mind
Where I go time to time"

For many, I suspect the "audio room and shrine" are indeed a place where an audiophile can go time to time" - the music, system and shrine provide the launchpad to places in the mind.