I must say I find all debates such as this one amusing/interesting from a couple of perspectives. Most importantly, any "system", not just hifi, can only perform as well as its weakest link. Not a single component in these systems is without imperfections/distortions. Those of us who enjoy this "hobby" are all guilty, at one time or another, a seeking some "tweak", but in doing so, often are "losing the forest through the trees." to debate percentages, such as has been done above strikes me as funny, as, in the end, the sound we all perceive is somewhat subjective, anyway. By analogy, if I may, one can create a delicious meal using less than the worlds best ingredients, though some may enjoy it more than others. On the other hand, one lousy substitution or the like, in that recipe, and the meal won't be nearly as good, though there might STILL be someone who thinks it is delicious. I would imagine that components at the from end ultimately are the most critical, beginning with the source material, especially with analog/LPs....
