Ok this will be a good thread.


What in your opinion is the most important part of a good 2 channel system. Or what has the biggest impact on overall sound. For example if you feel Speakers are most important, or Preamp, Amp, Source. I am not looking for a ss vs. tube debate, just what do you feel is most important.

I will start:
I feel speakers are the most important part. I know lots of you are going to say electronics, but keep it to one part, like Preamp, Amp, etc.
Steve
musiqlovr
Good one Rosstaman, I can agree with that. I don't feel I can pick one part of the system out. Like a car, which is the most important part? If you say engine, and drive with cheap brakes, you may be in trouble. Another good analogy is the old joke about which body part is most important. The brain says I am, because without me the body wouldn't know what to do. The heart said I am because without me working you, the brain wouldn't be able to function. The argument goes on and on between all the body parts, until the a**hole speaks up and says I'm the most important part. All the other body parts started LOL. The thought of the a**hole being the most important body part, ridiculous. Well the a**hole went on strike. A day or two later, the mind started shutting down, the heart was getting weak, the eyes became blurred. They all relented and admitted that the a**hole was the most important part.
Sorry for the poor telling of that old joke, but IMHO the whole system is only as good as it's weakest link. Great sources are wasted on subpar speakers, and vice versa. Ignore the electricity, and you'll never know how good those thousands of $$$'s of equipment will sound. You need to approach it from a whole systems outlook.

Just my $.02
John
Your arguments are approaching the absurd. No one is saying other component consideration isn't important. What we "speakers first" are saying, they impart the greatest impact on your mind. I had one goal when I set out on my audio journey and that was to give voice to the greatest speaker I ever heard. That, in turn, began the best amp, pre amp, and front end search.
Your system will always be limited by the weakest link. Doesn't matter if it is the source, speakers, amp or cables. A $10,000 system will still sound like garbage if one of the main components is a $99 piece of _____. ie, what would a Jadis system sound like with old bose 201s?
oops meant to say...good bottle of wine and hot babe...who cares about the rest!