Spending on dac vs amp

Thank you all for the feedback. If I summarize some of the key points, this is what I heard:

- spend the most on the analog components and start with speakers. ($3k)
- work from the speakers down and get a good amp as these should they with me for a while ( up to $2.5k)
- in terms of dac, paying more makes a difference but the pace of innovation is so high that it probably doesn't justify spending too much (no more than $1.5k)
- keep the remainder for good quality speaker cables, psu, and analog interconnection, don't worry about digital interconnects. ( up to $1k)

In addition $8k seems to be more than enough to build a great system.

However ultimately, it is all based on experience ( warm vs transparent, ...) Ratios are there to be changed and challenged. No one size fits all.

Fair summary?

Mizuno...that is a fair summary of the comments and I think a very valid approach. I would only say, don't get too stuck on the exact dollar amounts and place a lot more emphasis on trying to find components that are synergistic with one another. A well balanced system is most important, this way you won't have any obvious "weak links in the chain" that are limiting the potential of the whole system. I don't know if you already have stong opinions about various components or if you are starting from ground zero with a completely open slate, but if the latter, my advice would be to go to a bunch of local high end bricks and mortar audio stores and tell them you would like to put together a well balanced system for around $8K and you would like to hear examples of different technologies (electrostat vs box speakers, tuve vs. solid state amplification, digital vs. vinyl source) and see what sounds most like emotionally engaging music to you. From there do a lot of research online and via the main audio publications, and this way you can start to winnow down the options to pieces you want to go back and audition again (preferable together at same store). Good luck and enjoy the journey.

Other than technological advancements, DACs seem to be a flavor of the month type thing. I've read many reviews, including one of the Eastern Electric Minimax in which the reviewer says it's the best thing under $1500 and better than the Wyred4Sound DAC. Bam, next thing you know in the W4S's recent review from the same reviewer (Daryl) the Minimax gets blasted when compared to the W4S which is now mighty superior.

:) tough to trust reviewers, eg. I must say when I hear people comment on how audio furniture creates a more transparent, 3d sound, I'm getting very skeptical too.

Cmalak, thank you for the feedback. I shopped quite a bit fir my speakers and ended up buying the spendors s8e used on this site. I also bought an LCD integrated used. Now trying to complement my system with dac, cables, other...

DACs depreciate and personally would buy something I would be happy with long term and something that is just for now to get by as opposed to buying two things that are not really want I want but are in proper proportion pricewise. To that end, I recently spent some serious coin on speakers and amps, but am using the DAC in a marantz integrated receiver which I thought would be good enough for now but is really IMHO good enough for long term. I just can't bring myself to spend $1500 and up on something that will be worth 10-20 of new in five years. I rather buy a slightly used amp which will be worth about what I paid for it in five years or used speakers which I can get back 80% in five years.