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Poll: Most impactful component

Given all the technological advances over the years, audiophiles have very different perspectives on equipment.

This likely reopens an age old debate, but which component has the most potential to improve a stereo system? Or can it?

If you could upgrade one component to take your system to the next level which one would get the investment? Speakers? DAC? Pre? Source?

Or is this the holy grail that no one can achieve?

 

 

tee_dee
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,838 posts
 

They all might in any given case.  It takes an entire system to make music…..source, amp, and speakers.  The rest is secondary. 

ghdprentice
6,364 posts
 

The answer depends on the system.

 

My system is balanced and optimized, with all components compatible and at the same level. So, there is only one answer, upgrade my speakers from Sonus Faber Amati traditional to Sonus Faber Lillium. While the Lillium are a bit big for my relatively large space and would cause bass loading at high volumes… I don’t listen at high volumes. So this would make a big difference. Other component upgrades not so much. 

mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,774 posts
 

Of surprise to me, power amp has consistently been the biggest difference maker in my journey.  

painter24's avatar
painter24
212 posts
 

My room. Whilst I'm grateful ful I have a dedicated room, I know it is too small for what I want to achieve, so I have to live with compromise despite room treatments

jtcf's avatar
jtcf
1,589 posts
 

Right now my source is the weakest component. But my room is not great either.

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