How much of the front end depends on the preamp

Dear Joe: You could be done changing your Yamaha.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Dear Elizabeth: You posted: +++++ " I have modified my views over the years and now think the speakers are the lowest priority. " +++++

I respect your opinion but I can't agree with you, let me to explain my point of view about:

the speakers are and functioning like " translators ", the better the translator the better the sound reproduction. Now, we have to take out the great importance of the room contribution to the quality sound and the amplifier match with the electrical speaker impedance.
A better amplifier can't make " great " a mediocre speaker: when we have great electronics with mediocre speakers, this low quality speakers tell you, through it sound, that are really mediocre and your electronics can't shine and can't do nothing about but telling you that you have mediocre speakers. In the same way, take the same electronics through a good/great speaker: you will be in audio heaven, the sound from those speakers will tell you how good are your electronics ( remember that the speaker is a translator ). As a speaker grow-up on its quality desing/build the quality sound reproduction and resolution of the system grow-up, never at the inverse.

The importance of the speakers is crucial for the perceived sound. I think that David Wilson ( from Wilson speakers ) in the Las Vegas 2005 CES makes a " funny " demostration with his speakers to prove the central importance of the speakers: he connect two different audio system to the same Wilson speakers, one of that audio system was hidden behind the curtains and the other system was in front and view of the attendant to this demo, this audio system was composed of high end names audio devices. He was switching between both system and at the end the people vote for the hidden system: and gues what?, this system was composed of a 1K stuff, including Ipod!!!!!

Now, the speaker industry quality design/build were growing-up very fast in the last 10 years. Today, I can say that every speaker regarding of price or high end name sounds good. Today we have a lot of options about and we can't almost go wrong does not matters our speaker choice: but this fact can't tell me that the crucial place that always had the speakers are lower today, that fact tell me that the industry are growing-up in quality ( good for us ).

I know that your opinion and mine about is totally a subjective one but this kind of dialogue between us help to understand a little better our audio/music love, in any direction.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

cube SE from a fellow A'goner......now I'm waiting (impatiently, of course) for its arrival to see what a differance it makes.

It "may" be a bit of overkill for my system, but I'm much, much more into listening to the music than tweaking my toys......again, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.