Speakers The single most critical component


I know we've been over this Q hundreds of X's over the past 20 years here on audion, You can find dozen of topics dealing with this Q <which is the ,,,,most important component...>>
well time for yet 1 more topic dealing with this,, perhaps unanswered, un-resolved issue.
I'm bringing up the old hachet due to my recent experience acutally hearinga FR in my system. 
Let me tell you, there is not even 1 traditional/conventioanl/xover design <The Boxed Type>> in the world that could convince me  , there is something that will beat out FR (caveat, FR requires  some sort of high sens =sensitivity, tweeter)  in  the Boxy world of speakers.
That is to say, FR + Compression Horn is the future of 21st Century high fidelity. 
One lab has already brought us these ~~~SHF~~~ aka SuperHighFidelity  single drivers. 
The code word here is ~~SHF~~~ which can not never be employed when describing xover/trad/conventioanl style  aka The Box designs. db level under 91 are _<<IN-EFFICIENT>> , = dysfunctional, out dated, old school , = Dinasaurs. 
For amps, I only consider tube amps (PP and SET) as ~~SHF~~~ I can not include ss amps in this topic. 
IMHO all well made tube amps sound very close,
 a  kt88 in brand X will sound  close to brand Y. 
So amplification takes a  distant 2nd place in critical component.  No need to break the bank buying amp A vs  a  lower priced kt88 amp B
CD players, nearly all  tube DAC's , tube cdp-ers sound  close. No need to braek the bank over X vs Y.
My Jadis DAC is  only miniscule gain over the Shanling,
 the Shanling
only a  miniscule gain over the Cayin CD17. 
Now as for  best source  , phonograph is the ideal playback medium vs cds. 
I have some LP's now , but my main collection are classical cds, most not on LP version. Cables , I did note some gains employing silver/copper wiring throughout my entire system including inside the Defy.
Tweak worthy.
New Mundorf caps in all componets, tweak worthy. 
Yet the main central component remaisn the speakers.
Here is where  the entire audio resolution either rises to Nirvana or falls to <<distortion/muddy waters,/pollution/anti-fidelity  voicing  issues.
Your system's fidelity is ultimately dependent on what speaker  you have chosen to employ.
Forget all you've learned over the years, 
The new mantra is <,The speaker is key component>
All else is just extra tweaks/nuances. 
To sum up, a  ~~SHF~~ driver will match even the top of line Wilson weighing in at hundreds of lbs priced $$$$$$$ overa single FR driver. 
FR beats out any/all xover box design speakers. Mostly due to that key specification ~~db level~~~ which is everything in speaker design and thus in resolution/fidelity. 

mozartfan
Totally agree the the F is better than the B and maybe the CO as well. Prob not little b or the KG or the MT though. Should check out ZR for sure it’s really G! 
~~~~Everything Seas and Sacn Speaks says about the character voicing of all their drivers, might be true,,only if there is no FR in the same room, Especially if the FR just happens to be The Voxativ~~~~
;-))
The V A K is the Cheapest Best Speakers on Planet Earth ! 

 Vivid Audio KAYA Series ! 
 
MAC is the very best match for these KAYA Speakers !
  
   McIntosh MA-252 Hybrid Integrated
  McIntosh MA-352 Hybrid Integrated 
  McIntosh MA-12000 Hybrid Integrated
Garbage in = garbage out is a red herring.. even entry level source and amps are pretty good.. therefore there is no "garbage in". There is a little bit better in, there is I like the sound of that in a little better than another in, but there is no garbage in.

ALL speakers are colored, have the highest levels of distortion of all components by a LARGE margin, and have the most severe limitations when it comes to integrating them into the room.... so this is actually a stupid debate. You have to find a speaker that fits your room and your tastes. What comes before is icing on the cake,, the speaker is the cake.

1. Drive a $1000 speaker with a $100,000 front end and it sounds like a $1000 speaker.

2. Drive $100,000 speakers with a $1000 front end and its not as good as it can be, but it will sound much better than #1

end of debate, you can close this thread



Garbage in = garbage out is a red herring.. even entry level source and amps are pretty good.. therefore there is no "garbage in". There is a little bit better in, there is I like the sound of that in a little better than another in, but there is no garbage in.

ALL speakers are colored, have the highest levels of distortion of all components by a LARGE margin, and have the most severe limitations when it comes to integrating them into the room.... so this is actually a stupid debate. You have to find a speaker that fits your room and your tastes. What comes before is icing on the cake,, the speaker is the cake.

1. Drive a $1000 speaker with a $100,000 front end and it sounds like a $1000 speaker.

2. Drive $100,000 speakers with a $1000 front end and its not as good as it can be, but it will sound much better than #1

end of debate, you can close this thread
I like very much your first paragraph affirmation , and i concur with it totally....

All what you say after miss the essential point...

The room is the cake, you must design a room with all the passive and active acoustical controls necessary to help your speakers...

Ask any acoustician, the best speakers sound bad in a bad room and good in a good room.... Less pricey speakers will beat costly one if put in a good room and the pricey one in a bad room...

Go on youtube et listen pricey speakers in a bad room there is plenty to listen to..... I prefer my 50 dollars used speakers in my controlled room than many very very  costly one ...


We never listen to speakers....

We listen to room/speakers....

Let the debate going on please....We will keep the thread .... 😊