What is most important part of a system?

cdk84 wrote,

"In considering what’s most influential in our listening rooms, which I believe to be important, I want to step back to ask a question with a wider view, specifically because listening to music is more than a technical exercise created with ’equipment’. To admit my own bias here, I want a presentation of music that takes my breath away, affecting me deeply at an emotional level."

Mountaineer to Guide: I finally made it! All that time and money finally paid off. The view from the top of Everest is a once in a lifetime experience. The view from here is breathtaking! Alone at the Top of the World! Nothin’ but blue sky!

Guide to Mountaineer: Whoa! Hey, take it easy, McGillicutty. Don’t get so choked up. You’re only at Base Camp.

😛

its the knobs

i've read, re-read, experienced and re-experienced, it is the speakers.
Put a great system on stupid speakers = stupid result
Put an average system on good or great speakers = it raises your system up!!

"maplegrovemusic
Anyone who stated source first in their list of importance please let me know what source will turn any speaker into some magical transducer . I really would like to try it ! Thanks, mike."

I build DHT components.  So IMO the source made the system sound the best.  I began by building a better preamp, settled on DHT preamp with no caps in the signal path and as good as it sounded, the source (DAC) I built made the sound something that I never experienced before.  So that is how I came to my conclusion source first. Same with the phono stage I build.  By better the components they created a sound that had details, could produce dynamic swings, micro/macro dynamics, separation, clarity, depth of soundstage (4D), placement, etc. that I never heard before.  Once that happened, I came to my conclusion that I everything else I tried over the years was to me chasing my own tail around.  Better speakers only improved what I was hearing.  I also came to this conclusion because when conducting auditions for other audio systems in those homes, those people after 30 seconds (yes 30 seconds) asked to purchase the components.  Recently had a person with very expensive Magico speakers and what I would consider a cheap DAC, SS around $2K.  OK sounding to me but after we switched source components, he heard things he never heard before.  It transformed his system.  It is the same change I hear in every system that we auditioned our components in, the source made the biggest sound improvement no matter the price of the speakers, Type of speakers, amps, cables, treatments, etc.

Happy Listening.