SPeakers 90% of your sound

What speakers are you using? if they are not revealing and transparent you may not notice upstream components as much. This would be due to the coloration the speakers add. Reasons for this would be cabinet coloration, crossover design/components, drivers used- you know various parts of the speaker ;)

I have noticed exactly the opposite, people often complain about the law of diminishing returns in this hobby. I have found that the more insane the components get the larger the jump in perfomance I hear. How ever with all things in this hobby YMMV.

You're in for a big shock. If you like the speakers now, wait until you get some real information-packed signal into them.

Speakers are certainly proportionatly one of the most significant changes--but I'm one that believes the room is 90 percent of the battle. How many people have moved from either a good environment to a mediocre one or vice versa. Same equipment, but different room--it can really make or break a system even more so than the speakers. (of course my opinion is an occupational hazard--for those that don't know what I mean visit: Rives Audio , in particular go to the listening room for some tips on what can make or break a room.

Room 70%
Amp 8%
Speakers 7%
Source 5%
Pre-amp 5%
Cables 5%
electrical tweaks 5%
Racks, points, 5%

Total = 110%. That sounds about right.

Of course, aside from room percentage, any one of the other category percentages could weigh in differently depending on budget, preconceived notions, experience, knowledge, listening preferences, music preferences, time invested in system, adherence to popular folklore, etc., etc..

-IMO

I guess I must've been lucky, because during the 80s, I moved around alot, and had my nice system set up in about 10 different apartments over that time. Somehow my nice audio system always sounded good, no matter what shape or size the room was, but my boom-box always sounded like crap, no matter what the shape or room size. Amazing, huh? Pardon me for thinking that a good room is nice, but it doesn't supercede the quality of the audio system. It is an environment which will allow the quality of the audio system to be presented well. Nothing more, nothing less.

Does Johnny One-Note in Carnegie Hall, sound better than Pavarotti in your living room? I don't think so. Pavarotti may sound better in Carnegie Hall, than he does in your living room, but Johnny One-Note is going to suck, no matter what room you put him in. You have to give the room something good to work with. Rooms are not magic.