Help: Order of importance: Pre, Amp, DAC, speakers

IMHO, "order of importance" is determined more by the difficulty of matching/synergy that any component presents than where it stands in the chain. Because of that I consider the speaker selection is most important. Speakers not only present the greatest variations in sound but also present the greatest room/set up challenge. Nothing is easy for the neophyte, but with some research about speakers and a subsequent commitment to obtaining the 'sound' that they are capable of producing is easier than trying to back speakers into an established electronics chain. FWIW.

Your turntable will be your most important component.....;-}

If you don't have one, you should.......

Oz

Sorry, I am old and can't half see anymore and I agree that power conditioning is just one factor. It is really hard to identify any one thing as most important. To me, it is a question of system matching that really holds the key ; this is a very elusive quest and I think the one that most of us are attemting to attain

source, preamp, speakers, amp are equally important but old addage, garbage in garbage out is true.