Source vs Target: where is the weakness?

P.S. It's critical to have an overall philosophy or approach in mind regardless of how you go. To Kotta's point, the system is the key. For example, do you want to go the SET/efficient speaker route? Are you interested in near field listening? Listen to as many alternatives as possible before embarking on the journey regardless of where you begin.

Isn't the listener the target? Perhaps we should be upgrading ourselves! Easier said than done.

I disagree that someone should start with a source first and work their way to their speakers. Why do I think this? Because ultimately it is one's speakers that determines the limits of what a system can sound like.

You have to find a speaker that you like best first. Next you have to find an amp that matches the speaker. This is a pretty critical match because not all amps can really drive any speaker or sound good driving any speaker.

Next one must find a preamp that matches the amp. Amp/Preamp synergy is amazingly important for good sound. If these two pieces do not work well together, you can forget about good sound.

Last you focus on the source. BY now you have a system that can be transparent enough so you can hear the differences in sources in your system.

If you started with a grat source in a min or low fi setup, you really will have no idea what the final sound is going to sound like.

KF

Jond, you're onto something, but the room is the target. This source v. speakers argument has been done here a number of times. I'm on the speakers first side, with the understanding that it's both a quality (accuracy) and suitability (room) issue. Then source, but everything else is about equal. I could listen to a minisystem driving my favorite speakers, but I could not listen long to the best cd player in the world through cheap speakers.