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Speakers vs source/amp budget

I know many audiophiles advocate spending bulk of system budget on speakers with around 50 percent allocated to it. However I have noticed speakers suffer from law of diminishing return much quicker than either the amp or the source (dac, turntable). In fact I’ve noticed for bookshelf speakers especially after around $3k there is hardly much improvement except for the price tag. On the other hand the difference between $2k amp and $10k is night and day and same goes for turntables and dacs.
Am I just testing out the wrong speakers, has speaker technology come to the point there is only slight marginal improvement after certain point? The only rule for speakers seem choose the right size and sensitivity to match the amp and room size and spend the rest on quality amp and the source.
I came to this thought during my latest upgraditis run where I find myslef upgrading the source and the amp while being thoroughly satisfied with my elac vela bookshelves to the point my source and amp (naim 272/xps and 250) cost nearly 10 times the speakers! (I also own wilson audio sasha 2 for my reference system).
plaser
cd318
2,636 posts
 
’In fact I think elacs have better sound but focals are more musical and hence focals beat elacs for my purpose (mostly classical music). I’m pretty happy with the upgrade but would have been happy to with elacs but felt the need to upgrade the speakers to higher priced one given elacs cost 1/10th of the source and amp. Well this is how it is in this hobby lol.’


You’re right, you always have to compromises somewhere. Especially with loudspeakers.

I’m glad you think you’ve made the right ones. Just don’t tell the wife how you got there.
mozartfan
2,143 posts
 

I do not understand the terms being used in threads blew away - built like a tank, etc.

~~~Built likea  tank~~~ ancient expression which translates =\
~~dependable/reliable/no hums/hisses/pops/a  unit you can rest assured/can count on, day in day out, year in year out, decade in decade out /
=Built like a  tank, = Not like Ford's baloney *Ford tough*. , more like Honda CRV = 1M mile car, no repairs.
Thats what we refer to as **Built like German tanks*.**
My Cayin CD17 is built likea  tank. Hopefully my Jadis Defy will prove true,,My SEAS Thors built to last forever. 17 yrs old,. perform as beautiful as the day Richard Grey soldered the xovers to the drivers.back at his shop,,
back to OP, 
Be careful with the idea the more one spends , the superior the speaker. 
Honestly I do not understand  large speaker designs. I'm puzzled.  
Bigger is not always better. Bigger might mean more ~~louder~~~ but whats that....

mozartfan
2,143 posts
 
again back to O, IMHO
a  hewbie should start his journey with the right speaker, Speakers have to be top priority when starting a  1st class hifi system. 
Next is integrated amplification (separtes are too expensive) next is source. 
1) speakers
2) integrated amp
3)source
In that order. 
Don't even think about amplification, until the speaker is decided upon, 
btw i really hate high effiency speakers for SET amps, , = I hate SET amplification. 
Push pull is king of amplification. 
steve59's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
steve59
1,783 posts
 
synergy.
steve59's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
steve59
1,783 posts
 
I mean taking the dsp amplified path I don’t worry about it. 
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