What's more important: phono stage or amp

Dear Tbromgard : Maybe all answers in the subject are posted but I would like to add mine:

no doubt that each audio system link ( even room temperature. ) is important and what Almarg posted is true but Almarga: how do you determine that system weak link when it is not obvious?.

How I see the question's thread subject?: for me there are two main links one at the begin name it source ( cartridge. ) and the other at the other extreme name it speakers/room. IMHO as better these links as better the quality level ( everything the same. ).
A phono stage is nearest to the source than an amp and at this extreme is obviously more important. The source is not a stand alone link but a set of components that permit signal flow through the audio system, at the other extreme speakers is a set of items too: I think we can't take these two system links as stand alone links but as a set each one.

The phono stage is critical because the cartridge signal has to pass IMHO for the hardest proccess/manipulation that that signal can " see " all over the audio system signal " proccess ". Some one posted that at this stage the system has to work with very low output signals and this is an additional challenge that other system links not even imagine.
Being part of the source any single " error " ( name it: noise, distortions, colorations, etc, etc. ) there can't be fix it but only amplified.

If I have to be obligated to make a choose then I go for the phono stage even that I don't feel " good " talking on stand alone PS as a link because por me the audio system is a set of links more than stand alone links.

Anyway, this is my take.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

I think if the OP describes the rest of his system, the forum may understand which part of his system chain can be more easily improved.

However, I may be misinterpreting the question. It reads as very generic, but perhaps the OP is asking for help in improving his specific system.

You guys can curse me all you want. I wasn't the only one thinking the question was not well thought out.

If the OP is really trying to decide where to compromise between the amp and phono stage, I suggest flipping a coin. The pros and cons of changing a source component over an amp are easy enough to list. So make your choice and start saving for the next upgrade. You really won't hear the improvements until all of the "links" are fixed. Incremental changes, sure, but not all there is. That is really all there to it is unless you just want to participate in some mental masturbation. But audiophiles like to do this a lot. Hell, I am surprised we haven't gone down the "treat your room first" road. :-)

Source, source, source... because you want the signal to be the best it can be and work from there. A quality source can survive mediocre amplification but super amplification will always suffer from a bad source.

And for the record, it's a good question and I had no problem understanding the INTENT of the op. I think there's hardly a post on this forum that someone can't find fault with if they are looking to be feisty.

Dhcod: As you I don't have any doubt that the source is the most important audio link in an audio system but seems to me that that was not what the gentleman on this thread ask it.

Would you post about? I think that you have a good answer on it.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.