Percentage to spend on Amp and Speakers

I would recommend spending a good bulk of your budget on the source (as recommended earlier). My rule of thumb is garbage in, garbage out. No matter how great your speakers and electronics are, if you are feeding them with bad signal, that's what you'll end up getting. I would say spend about 40% on the front end, 30% on electronics, 25% on speakers and the rest could go to cables.

I know this may be unorthodox, but when I buy products, it is for the long haul. I buy the best piece I can afford. It also requires I fall in love with it. But, my ultimate goal is to build a long term system. I don't want to build a $3500 system, then go to work next on building a $7500 system, then... All the while keeping in mind my own tastes. Matching components synergistically to those tastes, as I believe synergy is far more important than individual components or money spent. Sure, in the beginning, the great piece will stick out. And at the end, the lower priced one will. But, as I am not blessed with the funds of some of the more lucky people here, I feel this will get me to my ultimate destination with as little wasted money as possible. Like I said, it may be unorthodox. Call me crazy, but there are always more than one path to a goal. This happens to be the one I have chosen. Good luck!

Regardless of the budget set aside for one component or the other, if in the end they don't work at least reasonably well together the money wasn't spent proportionately. Don't let the money burn a hole in your pocket. Take time to audition enough equipment to develop some sense of the level of quality you want out of a system, then compare that to what you can afford to spend. Trelja speaks wisely. There are no absolutes except that system synergy is paramount and falling in love, true love, takes time. Finding pieces you love that work together takes even more time, but it's worth it. Now, to answer the question more directly, in my case (using retail prices as some components were purchased used) the ratio was equal amounts for amp, speakers, pre-amp, source and cables/accessories (not including acoustic treatments for the room). This was completely unintentional and YMMV.

Depends on the system and speakers. With really transparent and revealing speakers (like ribbons or full range esl's) it is easy and beneficial to spend much more on an amp (preferably 2 amps) and pre. This is not only rewarding but critical in this scenario. Not saying that source, interconnects and speaker wire are not important, but matching amps/pre with certain types of speakers is the most important link and makes all the difference in the listening experience.

Trejla has a good point. I think I took for granted that most people understand that some components do not work well with others. That is one of the many benefits of Audiogon. If you cannot audition recommended equipment you can at least ask opinions and find both arguments for and against certain purchases. Auditioning is, however, the best path to follow, but not always practical. I still maintain that the speaker should be the bulk of your investment. Other components can be upgraded as money becomes available. But if you don't concern yourself with what is actually reproducing the sound, you are putting the horse in front of the proverbial cart. I wouldn't get caught up in cables and interconnects. Buy good quality and you should be happy.