Speakers are the first piece of the puzzle

Hey Jim,

You and I have sort of discussed this a few times. For me, the first if you wlll, step, is speakers and amplification. When a speaker is matched with the most suitable amplification, it can do it’s job best. But if the source is not up to the task, you will still have subpar sound.

I don’t think the speaker has to be the biggest part of the budget. I heard a system a few weeks back that the amp/pre was over twice the cost of the speakers and it sounded pretty amazing. It was Sabrina/Nagra Classic. Add an amazing source and you really have something. This is just a personal example, not meant to be an endorsement.

Now to questions 2 - 4.

2. First speakers were in around 1974 or 75. I mowed lawns and saved and bought my first stereo, an MCS receiver and tape deck with a pair of small two-way speakers given to me by my uncle. Upgraded to an all-MCS system a few years later. It sounded great in the store and great at home.

3. Kept them a few years.

4. my next system in the 80’s was bought based on listening and specs. Bought parts of it from a military catalog. I got lucky and it sounded pretty good.

My speakers/amplification first approach has come from my many years of going to shows and dealers. I’ve heard speakers sound mediocre with the wrong amplification and very good with more synergistic electronics. Or another way to say it is when speakers/amplification are well matched, you know what that sounds like. It is not so easy to mix-n-match these days with so many choices.

Most importantly, let YOUR ears be the guide. I’ve listened to others recommendations for systems (speakers/amp/source) and at least some of them I thought didn’t work together well at all.

Room acoustics are perhaps the biggest factor to consider up front because that can only practically be changed to a certain extent. You have relatively little control over room acoustics compared to the gear you put in the room. Room acoustics affect how the speakers sound so getting that integration right should be priority 1.

Next most important then is having the right amp to drive the speakers. There may be many ways to get the amp speaker integration right. Less efficient speakers may require a beefier amp. A lower power amp will require larger more efficient speakers. Many ways to skin that cat depending on personal priorities.

I have always said that speakers contribute 70% of the sound of the system. If you don't like the basic sound of a speaker there is nothing you can do to substantially change it. I have put together at least 25 systems for friends in my life. It has always been speaker first. I would tell you to find a speaker that you really like, buy it and then worry about the rest. If you have a speaker you love it is perrty hard to mess it up. But you can have the best sources in the world and still wind up with a crappy sounding system. Remember the speaker is the only thing in your system that actual makes sound. All other components are heard thru the speaker
Alan

I am of the opinion that the source is most important.  Why well I build my own components as most of you know.  When I built a better source that was the biggest improvement in my system ever.  The source was what gave me better tone, space between instruments, vocals, soundstage, air, emotion, etc.  The speakers I was using improved in everyway because of the source.  Away went any bloat in the base, high end digital glare, separation was dramatic, micro and macro dynamic swings were excellent.  I have yet to find a speaker that could do any of this by itself.

I know many of you will not agree with my assessment but again my learning experience for myself.  When I bring the source I build over to another persons home for them to audition or just to hear how it sounds, it takes about 30 seconds for that person to hear what the source does.  Many of these people have tried speakers, preamps, amps, room treatments, cables, etc.  Why all of those parts have an impact, each of them by themselves cannot do what the source did.

Happy Listening,

One thing I can arrest to having owned a Hifi- Audio store until 07 
is that audio cables are very much so overlooked as good enough.
myself included. Even customers buying $40k in electronics ,not counting speakers even if money back to try  decent cables $500-1000interconnects 
2000 Speaker cables ,power cords make as much or more impact in detail ,performance. Myself and others have proved this, a $500 cable is very respectable but a cable 2x this allows a good speaker to perform at a much higher level on many levels. Yes over kill too is possible in $$ spent.15-20%  of the whole system including Loudspeakers is a very respectable Average,nothing set in stone.
with over 35 years and many $$  to experiment with in the store .as with anything 
some brands are just insane .synergistic $15k , or NBS Statement cables
you can spend more on cables then your Mercedes . Balance is the magic word 
and buy  cables that get out of the way, not flavor.I have  found my own favorite cables lately 
and it is not from the Biggest advertisers ,which many buyers are swayed to .
be diligent and educate yourself on Everything ,it is your $$ money being spent.