How do you determine how much to spend on speakers

Nrchy, I haven't said that the amplifiers are more important than the source, but that I would put more money on them. Without a good source, forget about it. The main reason to spend more money in the amplifier than the source is simple: Good amplifiers are much more expensive than good sources!

With 5K you can buy a good source.
With 5K you can only buy an average altough powerful amplifier or a fine but weak amplifier.

Intersting comments, Sony. There may be something to that. I have about $13,000 worth of front end in the TT/arm/cartridge, and about $15,000 (I think) worth of electronics for the amp. That certainly coincides with your assessment. BUT since I did not pay retail, in actual dollars there was more money spent on the front end.

Velly intaresssstingk!

Whoaru99, most people that suggest source is the most important (and this apply's to digital even more so) is because you really have to spend far more then $1k to get good digital. I've heard speakers as little as $1k used that I could live with, I'm not so sure I could do that with digital.

I've heard a number of setups that were inferior using great speakers and bad electronics, I've heard good setups using decent speakers, with great electronics that sounded...good. The fact that people support digital sources or sources in general has more to do with what you just suggested, perhaps there isn't as big a difference in lower end digital and that you have to actually invest quite a lump sum to get something that resembles music, at least digitally.

I'd certainly agree that top notch speakers should better when driven with good electronics.

I would love to sit in on a properly done ABX test comparing cheap, mediocre, and high-end gear to find out for myself just what, if any, differences there are. Funny thing is, when called to the carpet, most "pros" find some reason to not take the test. Wasn't there a big deal one time where some relatively famous golden eared people couldn't tell a lowly Yamaha receiver from a Pass amplifier setup?

A number of reviews have favorably compared the Benchmark DAC1 to units costing several times more - but there are tons of reviews that come to the same conclusion on any number of pieces, "Comparable to units costing much more." What does that really mean? My interpretation of it is (from the reviewer's perspective) "I think I hear a difference..."

Hey, don't take it the wrong way, if you have tons of disposable income, good for you. I have no problem with that. You are entitled to spend it any way you choose.

The only problem I have is when I hear stuff like "there is so much difference in component X once you get past Y dollars" passed off as fact instead of what it really is, opinion backed up by anecdotal evidence.