Why do folks spend more on electronics than on speakers?


Hello, just curious on this subject. I have seen threads where folks ask for advice on how to allocate their budget and this topic comes up. I also see systems posted on various forums where folks have $10K-$20K in gear driving $2K-$5K in speakers and wonder why. I have traditionally been a speakers first person as that is where I have noticed the greatest differences. For those that allocate more on gear vs speakers what are your reasons? No judgement, I am just interested in hearing another point of view.

mrteeves

it’s all about the fuses... 😂

seriously, it really depends... it is all a chain, so it all matters

speakers are the final transducer and different speakers certainly present the greatest variance in how sound is produced to be heard (room interaction a good part of this)

but really high performance speakers sound better and better with a superb source and excellent, well matched amplification, so whatcha gonna do?  

 

runwell, you have $600 speakers and a $13,000 amp that's quite funny because $600 speakers are not going to be very good from any company sorry he just wasted a ton of money on an amp that your speakers will never do justice too.

In my case, I am upgrading all of my system to an “end state” leaving the speakers for last. Maybe an end state will never actually be achievable but with my Diablo 300 and it’s DAC module that together I adore the sound of, on my relatively modest B&W 803 D2’s, I think I have a chance. Currently upgrading to speaker wires that alone cost more than my speakers (Nordost Valhalla 2). Next I need to add a turntable (probably VPS Prime 21) for which my Diablo has a phono card.

THEN I plan to spring for speakers that match the rest of my system which already exerts a sonic character that I love on a variety of speakers. I could potentially look at B&W 802 D4’s (I auditioned the 802 D3’s with my Diablo originally). But a bit worried that the upper-mid-forward presentation of D3 and later B&W’s might not be for me. Sort of makes the bass feel lacking when it’s not actually the case. I want to like them, so transparent with abundant details with imaging so great it’s spooky. But the Diablo character is so clearly present still which is so good. Maybe I’d be fine with the more obvious mids; it’s not as if I dislike the sound. But expensive mistake if not!

 

So you have some really cheap speakers?

They must sound great though.

The speakers are certainly not cheap. It is just that my Nagra Tube Dac and Nagra Classic PSU are obscenely expensive.