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Speakers The single most critical component

I know we've been over this Q hundreds of X's over the past 20 years here on audion, You can find dozen of topics dealing with this Q <which is the ,,,,most important component...>>
well time for yet 1 more topic dealing with this,, perhaps unanswered, un-resolved issue.
I'm bringing up the old hachet due to my recent experience acutally hearinga FR in my system. 
Let me tell you, there is not even 1 traditional/conventioanl/xover design <The Boxed Type>> in the world that could convince me  , there is something that will beat out FR (caveat, FR requires  some sort of high sens =sensitivity, tweeter)  in  the Boxy world of speakers.
That is to say, FR + Compression Horn is the future of 21st Century high fidelity. 
One lab has already brought us these ~~~SHF~~~ aka SuperHighFidelity  single drivers. 
The code word here is ~~SHF~~~ which can not never be employed when describing xover/trad/conventioanl style  aka The Box designs. db level under 91 are _<<IN-EFFICIENT>> , = dysfunctional, out dated, old school , = Dinasaurs. 
For amps, I only consider tube amps (PP and SET) as ~~SHF~~~ I can not include ss amps in this topic. 
IMHO all well made tube amps sound very close,
 a  kt88 in brand X will sound  close to brand Y. 
So amplification takes a  distant 2nd place in critical component.  No need to break the bank buying amp A vs  a  lower priced kt88 amp B
CD players, nearly all  tube DAC's , tube cdp-ers sound  close. No need to braek the bank over X vs Y.
My Jadis DAC is  only miniscule gain over the Shanling,
 the Shanling
only a  miniscule gain over the Cayin CD17. 
Now as for  best source  , phonograph is the ideal playback medium vs cds. 
I have some LP's now , but my main collection are classical cds, most not on LP version. Cables , I did note some gains employing silver/copper wiring throughout my entire system including inside the Defy.
Tweak worthy.
New Mundorf caps in all componets, tweak worthy. 
Yet the main central component remaisn the speakers.
Here is where  the entire audio resolution either rises to Nirvana or falls to <<distortion/muddy waters,/pollution/anti-fidelity  voicing  issues.
Your system's fidelity is ultimately dependent on what speaker  you have chosen to employ.
Forget all you've learned over the years, 
The new mantra is <,The speaker is key component>
All else is just extra tweaks/nuances. 
To sum up, a  ~~SHF~~ driver will match even the top of line Wilson weighing in at hundreds of lbs priced $$$$$$$ overa single FR driver. 
FR beats out any/all xover box design speakers. Mostly due to that key specification ~~db level~~~ which is everything in speaker design and thus in resolution/fidelity. 

mozartfan
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
12,961 posts
 
One thing is for sure the digital,  or turntable is the most critical part of any Audio system
I am not sure of that at all...

Take the best digital of the world or the best turntable and put them in a bad room....I just listen to that in youtube.....My 500 bucks system is better...

Even without the best digital or turntable, only with an average not too bad and relatively good gear like mine BUT in a controlled acoustic, i prefer my system to many 100 times costlier...

Then....

I will repeat muself think acoustic.....

Anyway who can afford the best turntable or the best dac?

Anyone can afford  a very good  room at peanut cost .... It is my experience....
arcticdeth's avatar
arcticdeth
1,572 posts
 
It all comes into view, speakers are the main sound production, but preamp, source, and cables do all assimilate to the final sound. 
   Components, cables, source, tube or ss preamp, amps, it all should have synergy to be good. 
    That is why this hobby is a basta*d, so many variables, components, tweaks, cables, tubes, ss, source, quality of the recording,...


So much comes into play.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
In the last few weeks I have added Mr White, a spectacular new power cord, Townshend F1 speaker cables, and just the other night Townshend F1 interconnects. If anyone thinks the speaker is so massively important, come hear what happens when any one of these wires is changed. It will rock your world, and put an end to all this "speaker is the main thing" talk. 

What is the most important component? Every single one of them.
jdane
183 posts
 
It is not true that with the perfect speaker, the signal that comes in "comes out perfectly."   Of course not, because what comes in (electronic signal) has no material relation to "what comes out" (sound waves).  It produces sound-waves from a signal, thus completely changing the nature of that signal.
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
12,961 posts
 
What is the most important component? Every single one of them.
An integral audio system is like a piano, all parts of the piano are important....You are right about that.... But put the piano in a good room or in a bad room it will sound very different...

It is better to have an average audio system in a good room than a better audio system in a bad room... And the difference if the acoustic controls are optimal is so huge than the best system in the world will not be enough to beat a less good one in this optimal room...

Then focusing on cables or sources for sure is right....But secondary....Especially when advising people about good choices...

BECAUSE in audio experience for almost all people with an "average audio system" nothing compared in S.Q./price ratio with the acoustical settings controls of the room...

If someone own a dedicated room it may cost peanuts.... My mechanical equalizer cost me nothing for example...My passive treatment cost me nothing also....Is it the best? no... Is it extraordinary? yes...

Some pychoacoustical factor are related not to the gear or the tweaks or the cables or to the speaker choices mostly, but to the relation between the speakers the room the passive materials treatment and the active controls mainly....

Why?

Because for example listener envelopment or LEV is related to the timing thresholds of the wavefronts coming from each one speaker, and crossing the different pressure zones and reflecting on the walls toward EACH ears with DIFFERENT timing cues....No piece of gear by itself can give this experience of the listener envelopment or LEV in a non controlled room....Some piece of electronic gear some very costly "tweak" using RF can( like the schumann generators at low cost help a lot or the more sophisticated atmasphere of SR which is more powerful) but they will NOT give you a natural timbre experience like an acoustical treatment and active control will do and must do....Then.....

Psychoacoustic is the gate to the optimal audio experience.... Upgrading the gear is not the way, save for rich people with no time to do the brain work....
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