Its a sliding scale, that's why you are seeing so many good and valid responses from different people. How can that be?
Well, at first, speakers are the most critical. When setting up a beginner system, start at the speakers. You get 'em a nice pair of speakers, a hybrid integrated and a good 'lil CD player with decent but not too expensive wire - so they'll get as much enjoyment as possible, least hassle and no recoil, as in , its great but it sure did cost alot.
Then, in a few months, they're getting the itch and they don't even know what it is yet, you give 'em a few NOS tubes that don't cost too much, a tweak for the same reason, so they can see what is posssible down the road, hear how everything is eventually important, all the while they save for...
Separate electronics. A tube pre - maybe a vintage VTL nice-and-simple, and maybe a tech friend you know does you a favor and swaps some parts to soup it up a bit. Then a SS amp so he/she doesn't get too peeved too fast if a tube output goes - maybe a Pass Aleph 3 at $900 from someone who just wants to sell it - about $1500 total... Yea, that's about right for the second purchase. They're starting to scour Stereophile now and telling you what so-and-so said, all as a pretext for wanting what that pretty picture (of words) says they have-to-have, even though its out of their range, so just hold 'em back abit.
Bring over a top flight PC or IC to hear the difference, see what's down the road, but steer them to the...
Source, upgrade the CD player. Not because its most important, but because they've been reading, scanning this site and see all you AA and Mephisto guys railing poetic and the addiction, becoming formed, says it wants in on the action. They think they know more than they do now, so you wonder whether you should let them make a mistake on what Sam Tellig says, but instead, you get them to upgrade the CD - they feel better - but, at the same time, get em' to throw a couple VD or CPCC PC's in the mix.
Then, amp -its big, muscular - guys like that - you know, everyone's gotta cool amp and the Aleph 3 is so, well, boring looking, and, the engines in cars are the most important, right? So....its a VTL to match the pre. Good resale, won't get hurt much and will learn about the relationship of liquidity and dynamics.
After that, if so inclined, a turntable, and this goes on and on IN SPIRALS OF DEVELOPMENT where the component is inserted to increase synergy towrds musicality as the listeners MIND - not ears - increases in receptivity to the meaning in music.
Towards the later part of the arc (you notice, I didn't say end...), the mind sits up and notices that the room is the "most" important, or the "pre" has become the fulcrum of the system and at that level the pre becomes critical in terms of system-wide synergy and must be the most "important", or that Jena Valkyrie IC is just kickin' that Valhalla in the most sublime way that you can't quite describe, or....
And you are still on the spiral, like a double-helix of progessive, musically exponential, ascendancy.
And at each of these places, because that is where you mind is looking when not listening, you think that your place is the most important, BECAUSE, from where you are at, IT IS.
At the top, the ride ends and you see that the mind that could, that would, go there was always the most important "source". Yet at the same time, each and every component that you've had has been the "most important" for where you were. None of it was "less" important than the last.
You look down, sit back, turn on the stereo and listen to the Music. The spiral ends and the "most importants" end only when you see your own spiral.
But if you are looking at your own spiral, then you are not that spiral, then who is looking?
The same mind that was listening all along.
Muralman, does that sound like alchemy?
Well, at first, speakers are the most critical. When setting up a beginner system, start at the speakers. You get 'em a nice pair of speakers, a hybrid integrated and a good 'lil CD player with decent but not too expensive wire - so they'll get as much enjoyment as possible, least hassle and no recoil, as in , its great but it sure did cost alot.
Then, in a few months, they're getting the itch and they don't even know what it is yet, you give 'em a few NOS tubes that don't cost too much, a tweak for the same reason, so they can see what is posssible down the road, hear how everything is eventually important, all the while they save for...
Separate electronics. A tube pre - maybe a vintage VTL nice-and-simple, and maybe a tech friend you know does you a favor and swaps some parts to soup it up a bit. Then a SS amp so he/she doesn't get too peeved too fast if a tube output goes - maybe a Pass Aleph 3 at $900 from someone who just wants to sell it - about $1500 total... Yea, that's about right for the second purchase. They're starting to scour Stereophile now and telling you what so-and-so said, all as a pretext for wanting what that pretty picture (of words) says they have-to-have, even though its out of their range, so just hold 'em back abit.
Bring over a top flight PC or IC to hear the difference, see what's down the road, but steer them to the...
Source, upgrade the CD player. Not because its most important, but because they've been reading, scanning this site and see all you AA and Mephisto guys railing poetic and the addiction, becoming formed, says it wants in on the action. They think they know more than they do now, so you wonder whether you should let them make a mistake on what Sam Tellig says, but instead, you get them to upgrade the CD - they feel better - but, at the same time, get em' to throw a couple VD or CPCC PC's in the mix.
Then, amp -its big, muscular - guys like that - you know, everyone's gotta cool amp and the Aleph 3 is so, well, boring looking, and, the engines in cars are the most important, right? So....its a VTL to match the pre. Good resale, won't get hurt much and will learn about the relationship of liquidity and dynamics.
After that, if so inclined, a turntable, and this goes on and on IN SPIRALS OF DEVELOPMENT where the component is inserted to increase synergy towrds musicality as the listeners MIND - not ears - increases in receptivity to the meaning in music.
Towards the later part of the arc (you notice, I didn't say end...), the mind sits up and notices that the room is the "most" important, or the "pre" has become the fulcrum of the system and at that level the pre becomes critical in terms of system-wide synergy and must be the most "important", or that Jena Valkyrie IC is just kickin' that Valhalla in the most sublime way that you can't quite describe, or....
And you are still on the spiral, like a double-helix of progessive, musically exponential, ascendancy.
And at each of these places, because that is where you mind is looking when not listening, you think that your place is the most important, BECAUSE, from where you are at, IT IS.
At the top, the ride ends and you see that the mind that could, that would, go there was always the most important "source". Yet at the same time, each and every component that you've had has been the "most important" for where you were. None of it was "less" important than the last.
You look down, sit back, turn on the stereo and listen to the Music. The spiral ends and the "most importants" end only when you see your own spiral.
But if you are looking at your own spiral, then you are not that spiral, then who is looking?
The same mind that was listening all along.
Muralman, does that sound like alchemy?