Amp more important than speakers?

Who's on First?

When I sold gear years ago in a well known at the time higher end audio chain, and it was still common to sell complete systems in one shot for the customer's budget we were all taught to help the customer find the right speakers first, then the amp, then the rest.

In the beginning, I too had a speaker fixation. I was most attracted to a speaker with a bright orange 12 inch woofer; it had "big bad bass". Every weekend, me and a friend would visit stores and listen to the speakers.I remember, "I got some new speakers, come over and check em out". After I arrived, "Dig that bass"! Everything in the house was vibrating like a mini earthquake. "We were cookin"!

When I got into the high-end, I discovered there was a world of music on the LP's I owned that I had never heard. "What's a 3 dimensional sound stage"? That's something that can not exist without the right pre and amp. When you get this, you also get the subtle musical nuances that go with it.

Although I haven't changed speakers in ages, the sound in my room has gone through revolutionary changes. My speakers are described on a thread I began titled, "Trade off, SS VS Tube Magic", dated 08-18-10. On the post dated 08-20-10, you will find an explicit description of my custom speakers. This might give you ideas on upgrading your present speakers by simply replacing the capacitors in the crossover. The amps I'm using at present are Primaluna 6 monoblocks. The tubes are Tung-sol EL34 power tubes, NOS RCA 12AU7 Cleartop and 12AX7 Shuguang small tubes. These tubes make a gigantic difference as opposed to the tubes that came with the unit.

This new amp and tubes have given me a sound stage like I have never heard before, or should I say "Never seen before". There are invisible performers on a stage that spreads completely across the room. The Stage is 7 feet behind the speakers, which appear to be useless pieces of furniture. The performers take their positions and the sound consistently emanates from those positions.

The original premise of this thread was not whether to buy the speakers or amp first, or last; it was based on placing the emphasis on the amp and the front end, as opposed to the speakers in regard to financial resources. I concur 100% with this philosophy. Those with unlimited resources could design a room and then purchase components to fit, while the rest of us have to make numerous compromises.

Definitely a good idea to avoid underpowered amps, but even that is determined by the speakers.

I think if more people used amps powerful enough to bring out the best with the speakers they have, they would get off the speaker merry go round faster.

But again this is just another example of the importance of having a good match. It doesn't make the amp more important than the speaker.

Amps is an especially dear piece of equipment to audiophiles. Anyone can have excellent speakers and digital, but really great and well-matched amps is our territory.