How can one link in a chain be more important than the others? It only takes one bad link to break the chain - so the remaining stronger links don't account for much.
I think the better way to phrase the question is - what component should you invest the biggest part of your budget in? This is because not all jobs are the same level of difficulty to make. Some are harder to design and others are harder to manufacture, and some are both.
I personally feel that making a great speaker is extremely difficult. So is making a great source. An amplifier is not very hard when you stop to think about it. Sure "black magic" design still applies but overall, it doesn't take much design effort compared to speaker or source. Many amps are very similar internally to each other. Parts for amps are expensive (especially these days) but not moreso than speaker drivers and crossover parts are. The preamp is tougher than the amp because of volume control and the lower level of the signals. However, still no rival for something like a CD player or TT.
But as far as relative importance, they are all equal in my book. Not all links carry the same weight but they all have to have equal strength in the end.
Arthur
I think the better way to phrase the question is - what component should you invest the biggest part of your budget in? This is because not all jobs are the same level of difficulty to make. Some are harder to design and others are harder to manufacture, and some are both.
I personally feel that making a great speaker is extremely difficult. So is making a great source. An amplifier is not very hard when you stop to think about it. Sure "black magic" design still applies but overall, it doesn't take much design effort compared to speaker or source. Many amps are very similar internally to each other. Parts for amps are expensive (especially these days) but not moreso than speaker drivers and crossover parts are. The preamp is tougher than the amp because of volume control and the lower level of the signals. However, still no rival for something like a CD player or TT.
But as far as relative importance, they are all equal in my book. Not all links carry the same weight but they all have to have equal strength in the end.
Arthur