2. amps-preamps
  3. 167986-157137

What is the most important component to consider while building a new system?

I recently viewed a You Tube video featuring Paul McGowan from PS Audio discussing the most important component when building a new system. I love Paul's video's and feel they bring a personalized touch to the discussions of all things audio. In the video mentioned Paul took a generalized approach in stating the speakers were the most important component to consider and that the relevant importance of each successive component rested in the chain down stream of the speakers. I am writing this to humbly disagree. I am in the mist of building a new system from scratch over the past 9 months. It has been my experience that if proper care is taken to the quality of the amp. pre-amp. and cables (with an emphasis on cables) you can get away with relatively inexpensive speakers that sound better than they have a right to. This is my own opinion based on recent experiences.
scottya118
james633
904 posts
 
50% room, 40% speakers, 9% amp/pre, 1% everything else. 
A good amp and pre amp is normally good on everything unless you have some type of specialty speaker (horns etc). If you get the speakers right to taste you don’t need to chase amps to tune them imo. 
I am in the wires don’t matter as much as people think crowd. Good copper 10g and call it done for me. Again goes back to getting the speakers and room right and not having to chase tuning. 
petg60
1,486 posts
 
Assuming music collection is respectable, I would start first with the source (old school) then speakers with amp, followed by power distribution, cabling and support. I have not included the room or any treatment, as normally it would be the second in my hierarchy and indicating also speaker size and drive needs, but nearfield listening can work great also.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,611 posts
 
The room is the most important.

After that its making sure you have a good source. Seriously- if your source(s) aren't doing the job right it won't matter how good your amps and speakers are- they can't make up for lost or distorted signal downstream!



petg60
1,486 posts
 
Of course when moved to my current room first thing I did was to make a dedicated line.
fixedincome
111 posts
 
Speakers!

More to discover