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Proportion of expenses

How should one apportion their expenses on a stereo system, particularly at different levels of expense? For instance if you have 100,000 to spend should you spend 40% on the speakers 20% on the source 20% on the preamp and 20% on the amp or should it be some other combination (yes I'm making this up - not making a recommendation)?

It might be interesting to see at various price points. Like 10,000, 20,000, 50,000,100,000, 300,000 and unlimited. In some ways the question gets at what component is most important in different price ranges, in other ways it gets at the fact that the price/performance ratio is different among components.

A related question is where do you start in designing a system you want to build. Do you start with speakers and build back or source and build forward? Do you match precisely or get the best you can afford?

I was just curious.
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goose
692 posts
 

There are lots of variables but this is how I would proceed:

1)  Determine the location of system and decide on monitors or floor standing speakers.  I would allocate 50% to the speakers.

2)  40% would be allocated to the source, amp/preamp or integrated.  This doesn't necessarily include both an analog and digital source.  I like to have the amp and preamp from the same manufacture.

3)  10% for cables

If you can buy used or demo that is the best way to go, then you will have money for the room treatments that will be required in step one.

 

noromance's avatar
noromance
9,769 posts
 
Money where mouth is. $
Turntable 3000
Preamp 3000
Amplifier 2200
Speakers 2000
Cables 200
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
1% audio system
99% tweaks


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kingharold
304 posts
 
brf1 wrote, " Front end - house mortgage
Application - Midsize Car
Speakers - Children’s college education "
Very funny comment.  Reminds me of an old Rodriguez cartoon in Stereo Review in which an audiophile husband is saying to his wife,  "Yes dear, I know $40,000 is a lot for a pair of speakers, but if  we both sell a pint of blood every couple of weeks I think we can swing it."
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