Philosophy used in assembling your system?

For me it is best deals I happen to find, combined with my preference for sound...I also check each piece of gear to see if it meshes with the idea I have for my system...if it doesn't work, sell it away!

Ben

Here are my general guidelines in putting together a system:
-Get a source (cdp) that is the most detailed and revealing as possible. Once you lose bits you can never get it back downstream.

-Get speakers that are neutral, dynamic, and detailed. You will never know what your system is doing if your speakers are not accurately reproducing what it is fed.

-Tweak the sound with the preamp and amp (i.e. add more warmth or body) for your listening preferences. Even though I have made mistakes here, my preference now would be to get an amp that is neutral, dynamic, and detailed. The preamp and cables become my main way of tweaking the sound.

In terms of cost, I have in my mind for each component where I think the cost vs performance curve drops off for me. I will usually try and stay below that point.

The way things look also is important to me. My system is prominently displayed in our home and I am proud of it.

Let the room dictate the speakers, let the speakers dictate the amp, get a very detailed source, and choose the preamp according to the type of sound and features you want.

Setting up the speakers to work with the room is critical. Screw up here and all you will do is waste lots of money. Once they are dialed in just right, and you like the components, you can fine tune the sound with cables.

A stereo is a series chain. The sound will be limited by the weakest link! Make sure all your components are on par with each other for maximum efficiency. None are more important than others - but some have harder jobs than others. Budget allocation should be biased to those that have the hardest jobs, which I feel are the speakers and the source.

Synergy and execution are way more important than cost. Patience and effort in speaker placement and component selection are the key ingredients to good sound and maximizing your money spent. Experience with lots of gear is the only way to learn to do this effectively.

For lots more info, see my system page link by my name.

Doing anything well takes work. If you don't put effort into it, you won't get the most out of what you've got. You won't get something for nothing.

Arthur