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What is your cost for each system category ?

What cost priarity do you have for each system category: Speakers, Amplifier(s), Preamplifier(s), Primary Source (CD, tuner, turntable, etc.), and cables. This will help to determine where money should be spent in developing the ideal high-end stereo system regardless of total system price. Notice that I'm limiting the source to the primary unit only. You may have spent a bundle on all of your sources, but you can only listen to one source at a time. I'll start off by providing my priarity list.
Speakers: $20,700 37%
Amplifers: $16,800 30%
Preamplifier: $3,900 7%
CD Player: $6,700 12%
Cables: $7,800 14%
redwoodgarden
karls
332 posts
 
Thsalmon,
Doesn't it suck to make a joke and nobody gets it? Rest assured, it cracked me up.
redwoodgarden OP
150 posts
 
Karls, that's OK; everytime you buy a Valhalla cable, Nordost laughs all the way to the bank.
nrchy's avatar
nrchy
2,124 posts
 
It was interesting to view the system from this perspective. I have long considered the front-end to be the most important part of the whole. I did not expect the Amplifier and Speakers to make up such a large percentage of the total cost.
Speakers = 18.75%
Amplifier = 18.75%
Turntable/arm/cartridge = 11%
CDP = 11%
Pre-amp = 14%
Phono Stage 12.5%
Interconnect/speaker cable 14%
Do I win anything? Am I well balanced? Am I single ended?
ohlala
1,235 posts
 
I wouldn't talk too much trash there Nrchy. This thread is a cousin to your "signal" loss thread. I'll give you a blue ribbon for your well-balancedness, though.

With more system information I think a cost ratios do mean something. It is murkied by personal preference, so one has to give the ratios a range, but after that, what does it mean? That the person with a system like mine who spends 50% of their budget on cables is audio retarded is one conclusion that can be drawn. Or maybe that person stole most of their equipment, but not their speaker cables...
tireguy
1,964 posts
 
CD player(dac & transport) 47%
Speakers(includes modification cost- parts only) 18%
Amp 16%
Speaker cables 9%
Power cords 4%
Tweaks 3%
Interconnect(there's only 1 pair and they're 3 feet long) 3%
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