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
I think the speaker is the last piece in the audio upgrade path for two reasons:

~~~~~~~~~~~
Interesting, but no cigar, at least 2 old seasoned audiophiles in this  thread have already concurred with my position.
The speaker voices the electrons hz flow. 
Speakers determine  the voice of your sysytem.
Its like the voice on a  human, speakers are the vocal chords  in your system. 
I really can't stand xover designs, They are inefficient and bleed dry the other components, like a  blood sucking leech. 
If FR designs  did not exist I would not be at all interested in   hifi audio. 
Mozart,
Let it go man! Yes there have been some significant improvements in full range drivers recently but the only real advantage is the lack of a crossover (which is significant). Must you continue to try to recruit for your "tribe"? 
Let it go man!

It you xover cult  fanatics that just CAN"T let it go, Not me, You guys are the ones that will not let the dinasurs DIE
So I go back to my listening room after above post,,and type in on my CP, field coil speakers
Try to get some idea of just what is a field coil speaker, At least some idea.
So I type in field coil speaker,,and what pops up as 1st hit
,,,
so its not only me who has ~~Seen the light~~~
Others too have seen this vision.
This is only just the beginning, Fight it all you want, supress, repress, deny, bash and trash the new tech in FR development,
Its  onlya  matter of time before the dinasurs get dumped for the new speaker of choice

Of course YOU can't admit nor have eyes to see this future. 
You guys adore worship and are slaves for life to the old traditional low efficiency distorted polluted  xover dinasaur.
Here is the link, I've not read it yet, Just ran here to post it.
Keep on listening to your xover muffled boxes which takesa   hercules to life them.
I'll stay with what I know it the best and wisest choice in voicing music.
Tweak Geek Since 2003, I've been around audio since mid 70's. 
Thats 80 yeras combined opinion, Both in complete agreement  FR is the speaker of choice for this 21st Century. 
The xover cult will continue on another 50 years, Afterwards folks will pick up YOUR xover box at a  garage sale fora  few $'s. and say to his buddies **yeah, so this is what they used to listen to back then,,well its great for my background  while i mess around in my garage, for $10 ain;'t so bad*
https://www.tweekgeek.com/blog-tweek-geek-speek/field-coils-are-the-future/

So I double cked the google results on <Field Coil>> scrolled down and hit  on this April 2021, Ht Off The Press Field Coil  design from japanese technicians.
Its long article , but  will hold your interest, I just fliped through it and came across something that confirmed my hunch concerning more complex music in a  FR driver, PP ~~may be~~ the better option.
My hunch was validated. 
The golden rule of SET amplification ~~Only~~ for FR high sensitivty speakers, may need  a  tweak in the theory. 
Field Coil is not my interest,  for budgetary reasons.
Still , concerns my main thrust to my arguments agaisnt xover old designs. High sensitivity is the future of speaker designs. Due to the higher effectivity producing a purer higher fidelity in the musical ambience.
Loud-speakers are a thing of the past,  
A new day is dawning.

https://www.dagogo.com/feastrex-makoto-loudspeaker-system-review/