Curious .. What is the compared price of your tt vs spkrs

Nadric,
You are correct,this discussion started by a mid night thought and pure curiousity  .I started the discussion just for fun to hear some imput.It was never meant to credit or discredit anyone choices .

I have an ancient Linn LP12 with a Rega RB300 arm and a Denon DL-110 cartridge. Current market value is probably about $1100. My speakers are custom built Linkwitz Orions. They are a full system with an active crossover and 8 channels of amplification. I picked up a used B&K AV1260 which does a nice job. Figure about $5000 for that package. I have $1500 into a VTA SP13 tube preamp with PH12 phono stage.   Because it uses 8 channels, I have 8 runs of 25' long cable.  I use 14 gauge zip cord from Parts-Express - cost is about $200 with connectors, etc.

I never looked at this as what percentage I should spend here or there. I’ve just always felt I wanted to get more bang for my limited audio buck.   Y'all can laugh at my 14 gauge zip cord all ya want.   Everyone who's ever heard my Orions has left with envy.  Everyone...  including people with 10 times as much invested in their systems.

My speakers and turntable source are both vintage.  The speakers are Acoustat 2+2 that I bought used for $1400 and the speaker cables are new Black Cat Silver Heart at $1000.  That's $2400 for the speakers and cable, which I consider a true bargain.

The turntable is a Lenco L75 with a large plinth and ADA MG-1 air bearing tonearm ($3500) and Denon DL-103R cartridge ($300).  The turntable sits on a Nobility Magnetic Levitating stand ($350).  Phono cables are Audience Au24SE low z that I bought  used ($600) connected to a Jeff Rowland Consummate phono amp ($1000).  TTweights record weight and Opera RCM as well ($1000).  That's $6750 for the turntable and associated gear to play $2 value village finds.

So that's about 2 1/2 times to 1 for tt vs speakers.  But I had to spend a bit to find an amp that works well with the electrostatic speakers.  The best so far are my Ray Lumley M-100 tube mono blocks with KT-120 tubes at $4000 including tubes.

Dear @oleschool:  In the very old times I remember the many years " defunct/dead "  Stereo Review magazyne that over the years they posted a % relationship between: speakers, front end, amp and the like. They did it as a " secure " road to people and especially new audio people. Many of us followed that kind of " expert advise ".

Through the time almost all of us learned about and still are learning each single day.

My " $$$/%% "" priorities are in this order: LPs, room conditioning, true full range speakers, front end, IC and speaker cables, Phonolinepreamp, amps and somewhere in between an audio system dedicated electrical  line. Of course the skills and knowledge level to make the overall audio system set up as accurate as we can with the self capacity to be aware that our set up is just rigth as it should be.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

My frist TT was 50% of my speakers and cables. Now My speakers are only 30% of my TT. When I upgraded the TT I wanted to do it once. Started with a Rega RP1pp w/ a couple of upgrades and Rega Exact cartridge.the new TT is a Clearaudio Performance DC w/ Clarify tonearm ,Talisman V2 Gold ,Outer Limit record weight , HRS Analog Disk, linear power supply and Musical Surroundings Nova 2 Phono stage
As your system improves it's not going to fit into some budget formula and at different stages you might have bigger or smaller budget.
You can see my setup in Virtual Systems

  Enjoy the Music