Why do folks spend more on electronics than on speakers?

OP,  “$15K… 10 - 15% on speakers”.

Unlikely a well optimized system… but possible. I think you have to start with a thought about what you want to spend… and then audition and make decisions that balance and optimize the sound. About thirty years ago I found some extremely good sounding speakers… Apogee Slant 8’s that cost around 10% the cost of my whole system. The ribbons were simply stunning, particularly for the money. I had them for 15 years. They were not perfect… but they sounded well beyond their cost.

I eventually got speaker that are at the 25% range ($32K). There is no comparison… these are not in the same class. But you build a system one piece at a time… sometimes the proportions get extreme. 

Spend a lot more on your amp and then buy the best DAC you can afford 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEprsbAzS9I

Would it be easier to get the most expensive speakers you can afford and then gradually upgrade electronics to get the sound your happy with from said speakers? 

here is some perspective 40 years professional experience

speakers determine the overall level of what you can  acchieve

the electronics and source will derive what the speakers are capable of

great speakers can not compensate for difficiencies elsewhere

long story short the electronics preserve the integrity of the signal the better you feed the speakers the better the sound from those loudspeakers

+1 @audiotroy 

right on the money (excuse the silly pun... :)

here is some perspective 40 years professional experience

speakers determine the overall level of what you can acchieve

the electronics and source will derive what the speakers are capable of

great speakers can not compensate for difficiencies elsewhere

long story short the electronics preserve the integrity of the signal the better you feed the speakers the better the sound from those loudspeakers

All you said is perfectly right...

But it lack the essential: no speaker beat their room...

For the speaker to work at his potential peak qualitative level the room must be not only treated in a classical sense but mechanically controlled to serve the needs of the speakers acoustically and to serve also the listener psycho-acoustically ( Schroeder frequency for example must be adressed and many other problems) ...

Then the room acoustic is the last and more important tool...

It is not my opinion it is Helmholtz teachings...He never sold anything but he was the father of modern acoustic and psycho-acoustic science...

He sell something in fact few people want to buy: science but more than that necessary listening experiments very costly in time more than in money though...But time is more precious than money, it is a too higher price to pay for most alas!

But the truth is there...

😁😊