SQ is not proportionatel to expenditure. Allocating expenditure by percentage is not likely to give you the best bang for the buck. Pick components whose sound you really like. Be prepared to dive in deeper if required and spend less on other areas where you don't discover a stand-out for you.
That said, I mainly agree with Pani. Transducers are the area that influences SQ the most, that is record players, digital players and speakers. Money spent there will have the most effect. Then look at amplifiers. For some, room treatment is a must, but it is best not to listen in compromised rooms, some of which remain compromised however much is spent. Wiring comes last. Whatever Miller says, it cannot influence SQ to the extent active components do.
Foolishly, Miller advocates equal expenditure on room treatment and wires. That means you only spend 16.67% on players and on speakers, when if you were more sensible it would be 25%, That's a stonking 50% uplift.
If I had to decide in the restrictive manner proposed by OP (and did not have a compromised room) I would go:
30% speakers, 25% player, 35% all amplification (less if you go integrated), 5% room, 5% wires. And that's generous on the room and wires.
If you are digital believer and only run digital, I would drop expenditure sharply on the player (incl DAC). True converts know that if you have sorted jitter, clock error and have a good DAC, bits is bits, so any decent player will do. Read errors are almost non-existent on every player.
That said, I mainly agree with Pani. Transducers are the area that influences SQ the most, that is record players, digital players and speakers. Money spent there will have the most effect. Then look at amplifiers. For some, room treatment is a must, but it is best not to listen in compromised rooms, some of which remain compromised however much is spent. Wiring comes last. Whatever Miller says, it cannot influence SQ to the extent active components do.
Foolishly, Miller advocates equal expenditure on room treatment and wires. That means you only spend 16.67% on players and on speakers, when if you were more sensible it would be 25%, That's a stonking 50% uplift.
If I had to decide in the restrictive manner proposed by OP (and did not have a compromised room) I would go:
30% speakers, 25% player, 35% all amplification (less if you go integrated), 5% room, 5% wires. And that's generous on the room and wires.
If you are digital believer and only run digital, I would drop expenditure sharply on the player (incl DAC). True converts know that if you have sorted jitter, clock error and have a good DAC, bits is bits, so any decent player will do. Read errors are almost non-existent on every player.