Whats more important? Speaker or the Amp

Start with speakers that "do it" for you first, then match the best amp that you can afford to make them sing to their fullest capabilities.

>>the speaker.....the great designs always sound good with an endless variety of amps<<

Totally untrue. Speakers such as Ohm F, Magneplanars, and Apogee (all models but Scintilla more so) need very specific amplification to perform well.

Thank you.

>>Totally untrue.<<

Not so sure about that. Take the Magnepan MMG. Use any amplification you can find. It will still be one of the better systems under 1000 dollars.

I have to disagree with some of you here. If you have a great speaker, there is no way it will sound all that great if it exposes a poor amplifier. EX.: try putting a cheap transistor amp on a good horn system- you will regret it.

Ex.: put a cheap transistor amp on a set of Sound Labs- *no way* will the speaker live up to its capability.

Ex.: try putting an SET on a set of B&W 802s. -Sorry!

Ex.: put a cheap transistor *or* cheap tube amp on a set of Magnaplanar MG20.1s. What a waste!

Ex.: put a set of Rogers LS3/5as on of the bigger Ayre transistor amps- will you realize the capabilities of the amp? no! and no slight to the Rogers either but the two simply will not show each other off.

I have dozens of such examples. My advice- if you plan to buy a Masarati put a decent set of tires on it. If you get a really nice speaker put a really nice amp on it.

OTOH you could just take a wad of hundred dollar bills, go up stairs and flush then down the loo in the master bedroom. The effect will be the same :)

I won't part with my speakers, that have been the only permanent item in my main system for 10+ years that are in storage in another continent (not the makeshift/cheap system I have listed here on audiogon), so I would have to say 1 more vote for speakers!