Which component is most responsible?

"Which component(s) is most responsible for hearing clear, distinct separation of voices in a chorus or when listening to multiple background vocals, as I often hear audiophile speak of."

All of them.

I think my Polk LSI15’s are limiting me in achieving distinct separation of voices in a chorus.

FWIW, separation of voices in a chorus is very difficult to achieve UNLESS it is in the recording in the first place!

From my experience both of these statements are false. I can create the separation and location in a preamp design no matter what the source, amp or speakers. So IMO and from what I have designed, I can achieve this without the other components and recordings. Just changing the output resistors in a preamp to naked Vishay resistors will provide some of what you are looking to achieve. Filtering your ac inside the preamp will also provide clarity and better separation, and removing capacitors in the signal path will add to the separation, and last using a TVC volume control will add to the separation no matter what the amp, source or speakers are. Sure they other components will improve on this but the preamp can be designed to achieve this.

I believe it comes down to the 2 ends of the chain. 1st, the mic'ing, mixing, and mastering have to capture and preserve the vocal separation. Then, the speakers and room have to allow for the reproduction of what was captured.

The other pieces each play their parts, of course, but I feel to a lesser degree...

-RW-

You can take your sound to the next level by paying attention to things like
vibration control and isolation. Much has been written on this subject,
and I recommend Lloyd Walker's piece on his website and Jim Smith's
"Get Better Sound." There are many threads on this site that talk
about such issues...

What shelving material are you using? Are you employing
anything between your electronics and the shelf it rests upon?
Are your speaker cables and interconnects off the floor and
properly configured? Why not pay attention to the little things
that will make it possible for you to more fully enjoy the gear that
you already own?

I am a fan of treating the room, too. The new Synergistic Research
HFTs and FEQ are really terrific, for they will let you hear what you have
been missing, but has always "present," all the time.
You can audition them risk-free for 30 days, and I recommend this.

I think, when you are looking to make very fine discriminations,
it makes sense to work with the big, expensive pieces that you
already own, and ask yourself, "what fine-tuning, which adjustments can give me the biggest sonic bang for my dollars?" The journey can be a lot of fun, and yield unexpected rewards...

Isn't it that everything counts, everything contributes to the end product
that reaches your ears? You can surely replace speakers, components, and cables in your system.

If you are not making attempts to make improvements with the gear you already have, aren't you more likely just to interchange pieces, and
increase the cost of your system, without any assurance that you will
be pleased with the end result?

It is your dollars, and your time. The choices are yours!

I would rate in this order: The recording..source..pre-amplifier...amplifier....speakers.

The speakers are often the most innocent...unless they're not!

Another way to look at this: all in all the pre-amp in the most responsible.

Cheers,

Q