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

Once you have built few a few amplifiers you begin to realise that certain designs are constrained by particular factors: eg the Dynaco ST-35 you are so enamoured of is constrained by its output transformers, and that no amount of tweaking is going to elevate it to superstar status. This is where creators such as Leben and Shindo really come into play. They have access to superior components which do not throttle performance.

I have the distinct impression that you haven‘t really listened to a lot of top quality amplifiers, and that if you had, you would rate their importance far more highly.


Trade offs and compromises, All components have weaknesses and strengths.
This is a given.
I've looked over SET's, I have no interest.
I've looked over box/xover/traditional  design speakers,
I have no interest.
Both components have flaws,,, which will not meet my personal listening experience goals.
Likewise, 
PP and wide range/high sensitivity drivers,  might have flaws which others will not accept compromises.
w/o having access to dealers shops which provide listening/testing pre purchase, we  are required to do our homework, research.
Lets imagine Seas  came out with drivers that matched Exel  performance but with a  sensitivity at 93db. WEll then sure now  this <<magical future driver>  conventional/traditional/xover box design would be the ideal match for the PP amp.
There might be a  92+ sensitivity xover design out there somewhere, I just have not found it and have no interest in looking.
Going wide band driver/Horn with my PP amp, any compromises/weaknesses will just have to be accepted.
there is no such thing as the perfect speaker.
We this, we try that. Hopefully we do not try too many , as it can and will cause issues in ones finances and thus relationships. 
Others may hate a wide band high sens driver paired witha PP amp, 
We are all free to pick and chose as we wish.
Some may even go so far as loving the sound of their 2 watt SET amp paired with  the Magnepan 30.7 4 panel Electrostat. 
To each his own. 



Just one more tiny rant, then i'm done
how about this setup vs the  suggestion above, 2 watt/Magnepan 30.2 4 panel
How about this possiblity
Jadis JA800 4 mono block, each weigs 200 lbs paired with say a  8 inch wide range 110 sensitivity single driver.
Everyone is free to make their own calls as to how they wish to enjoy music in their listening room. 
My room  is tiny at 10x12, so contraints on both amp and speakers  does limit my choices.
Anyway, I plan to challenge the SET as The Ideal amplification for a  wide band high sensitive single source driver.
There area  few YT  vids,  with this setup, however the choice in music , as always , is light instrumental, no female vocals. 
making it impossible to make any determination as to how the performance came off.
Which is why i use 2 reference cds,  Gatemouth Brown/Gateswings and Sophia Milman Beautiful Love. 
If Richard would be so kind to allow loan of his SET vs the PP, will post 2 vids