Synergy

While I don't agree with the underlying assumption you make, lets assume you are right. Someone who is just starting out will have to buy at a minimum a source, an amp AND speakers all made by the same company. Since few if any big companies make great speakers, you would have to search to find speakers that worked with your chosen electronics, or electronics to match you speakers. If you did the latter, each time you would have to buy a new source, new amp. etc, an improbable event I think. For many that might be where the concept of synergy starts to play.

As as pratical matter few folks ever buy an andiophile level system all at one time. Things are purchased incrementally as our budgets and needs (as we develope listening skills and start forming strong preferences) change.

Effecting 'synergy' is nothing more that learning how to combine components to obtain the 'sound' you want, not necessarily what someone else has either created (as in manufacture, sold or assembled) or recommended. No one, especially a manufacturer, can know what you want to hear just as a beginner doesn't know either.

As the beginner becomes acclimated to a sound system, learns from reading and hearing other systems, as well as attending live performances he will develope a greater understand what is (and what is NOT) possible.

So my question to you is, what universal one manufacturer system would YOU start with, and once YOU determined that its sound could be improved on, what would your next one manufacturer system be?

when buying equipment rules your life, one system built of the same brand is boring....in many cases better, but boring.

Develyn50 as one who has experimented for 5 years with varying brands of components I can say that it has not made this hobby fun for me. If the expense was not what it is and I could have returned all the gear that did not work out without taking financial hits, I wouldn't have this point of view. Actually for me "hobby" is a misnomer. If I enjoyed buying and selling gear, mixing and matching, inserting a particular piece etc, then I could call it a "hobby." For me this has been a quest for the love of the music to realize the goal of a system that could reproduce said music beautifully. It's all been about the music for me, not a hobby. I would love to have a system by the same maker (except speakers) if it would lead to satisfyingly reproduced music. Then I could end this buying and selling and get lost in the music.

Hi Dev,

Some good points have been made by the others, but I'll add the following thoughts.

Let's first recognize, as you do, that high quality speakers and electronics will usually come from different companies, for obvious reasons beginning with the fact that the technologies are very different.

Then add to that the fact that manufacturers of high quality amplifiers and preamplifiers tend, in general, to either not produce source components as well, or to produce a limited selection of them, constrained to be within a certain price range and feature set (which may not be what the buyer wants).

So for the most part the question narrows down to synergy between preamp and power amp. But then consider that the most important synergistic interaction between the power amp and other components is likely to be with the speakers. While the most important synergistic interaction between the preamp and other components could very well be with one or more of the source components, especially where a phono cartridge is a source.

So as I see it the possible benefit in synergy between preamp and power amp, that might result from having both components manufactured by the same company, will tend to be overshadowed by the different synergies that are required between power amp and speakers (not to mention the room as well), and between preamp and source components. Those being among the reasons that we often see solid state preamps being mixed with tube power amps, and vice versa.

Also, I'll add to the comment that was made about technical specifications that I would draw a distinction between the terms "synergy" and "compatibility." I would use the term "compatibility" to encompass avoidance of gain mismatches, impedance mismatches, mismatch of amplifier power and speaker efficiency, etc., things that can be determined based on technical specifications. Essentially, the ability of the components to function together. "Synergy," on the other hand, to me (and I think to you and to most of us) means that the sonic performance of the components is complementary, such that they reinforce each other's strengths and/or mitigate each other's weaknesses.

Regards,
-- Al

I'm glad there were some responses to the question as it has made it much more clear to me.

Thank you!