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_dee05-19-2023 2:24am

jtcf Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,620 posts 05-19-2023 at 11:51pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Right now my source is the weakest component. But my room is not great either.
dynamiclinearity Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 271 posts 05-19-2023 at 11:56pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Duh, speaker, of course. Everything in the chain matters. But speakers vary significantly more than any other link in the chain(the cartridge is second in an analog system) so their choice gives many more variations to find sound you like and conversely it is by far the link in the chain that can produce sound you don't like and there are probably many more speakers whose voice you don't like than you do like.
knotscott Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 937 posts 05-19-2023 at 11:58pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Right now my source is the weakest component. But my room is not great either. Source is usually easier to fix, so work on both... 😎
1971gto455ho Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 499 posts 05-20-2023 at 12:18am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Cables and risers….. 😂Friday night laugh Cheers
bdp24 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 9,821 posts 05-20-2023 at 12:43am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete 1- The source material, of course. 2- The speakers and room (the two are inseparable).