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
@larryi ,

"But, I have personally not heard a high powered amp that I preferred over a good low-powered amp when driving efficient speakers."

Me neither. As I moved up the range of Naim amps I got a different sound, more muscular, controlled maybe, but not necessarily better.

All of the loudspeakers I have ever owned have been on the high efficiency/easy to drive side.

That's one of the key advantages of sticking to paper cones - Rega, Tannoy etc. 
. There are some very efficient full range drivers I would love to hear. I would not mind setting up a system around a Dynakit Stereo 70 for nostalgia reasons.

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QAudio shows should be back up this fall, or spring,
Alfred Kainz at AEshoreports on youtube, has the AER and Vox on his YT channel.
He sells both speakers.
I have no issues ordering the newest Vox w/o demo, Its only $2k and  have done my research. 
The Dynaco ST70 is one heck of a  lil amp, Richard Gray has modified the ST90 calls it The Baby Gray which quite a  few of his customers are very happy with it. 
It gives the Jadis Defy7 a  good shootout. 
My point is
The Crown Jewel in our systems in not the amplifier, The Speakers are the **main event*.
I'm a  high sensitivty  speaker guy for midrange/highs, bass, the Seas Excel low sens line is doable. I will keep those in my system along with the Vox 97db for low mids- highs. W18E001's as added/boosted bass. 
Maybe the single Vox will deliver enough bass, can't say til they arive.
So in bass, any woofer from top lines Seas, Scan, SB Acoustics, = acceptable, In mids./highs, only high sens (94db++) will work for me. Below 94db = reject.

of power, I would own such amps. But, I have personally not heard a high powered amp that I preferred over a good low-powered amp when driving efficient speakers
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I am aware low power, = the 845's, offer sme gorgeous mids/highs, ok in the bass. 
Thing is all my music is highly demanding complex full orchestra, = Debussy's La Mer.
I  have the hench the PP amps will deliver more **pizzah* Gutso, when crunch time comes.
Besides I have huge investment in the upgrades in the Defy = can't part with it.
So it will be Defy7 100 wopping watts paired with the Vox 97db. 
Certainly not a  match made in heaven, they;'ll just have to learn to get along.


I actually agree that speakers are the most important component in the playback chain.  Then you work your way back.  Next would be your amp then preamp then the source.  After that it would be the cables and interconnects.

orpheus10
8,611 posts
06-12-2021 6:40pm

It seems that some of the best speakers, according to "Stereophile" cost in the vicinity of 20K.

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Many of us old timers here read Stereophile with a  *grain of salt*, not saying all the product reviews are snakeoil, but surely read with extreme caution. 
I can imagine Stereophile pumping the idea *the more you spend on a speaker = the better it will sound*, Which obviously we all know now in 2021, its simple not true.
I am very surprised Stereophile has not awakened to the concept, higher sens = superior speaker. 
I am far advanced ahead of that *gang* pumping some agenda to get folks to spend money.