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  #21  
Old 05-22-2017, 01:44 PM
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hobie1dog hobie1dog is offline
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Years ago in a stereo store, a guy came in and was listening to the new Magnepan 2.7's I believe, all through a McIntosh system. He asked the dealer if he could bring in his big-ass receiver and hook it up to see how much different the sound was going to be, and if he could not hear any difference, he would buy them. Dealer said ok, but there would be a 30% or more decline in SQ. I knew I wanted to stick around for the demo. The guy could not tell any difference and said, "I'll take them"

If you take 200k in a front end, and hook it to some Electrovoice PA speakers (cannot remember the model now of the ones I always refer to as the most awful speakers I've ever heard, midrange that will bore a hole in your eardrum) it will still sound awful. The final transducer determines the overall SQ of a system. Just my worthless 2 cents.

So I would spend at least 60% on speakers.
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  #22  
Old 05-22-2017, 01:53 PM
2fastdriving 2fastdriving is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hobie1dog View Post
Years ago in a stereo store, a guy came in and was listening to the new Magnepan 2.7's I believe, all through a McIntosh system. He asked the dealer if he could bring in his big-ass receiver and hook it up to see how much different the sound was going to be, and if he could not hear any difference, he would buy them. Dealer said ok, but there would be a 30% or more decline in SQ. I knew I wanted to stick around for the demo. The guy could not tell any difference and said, "I'll take them"

If you take 200k in a front end, and hook it to some Electrovoice PA speakers (cannot remember the model now of the ones I always refer to as the most awful speakers I've ever heard, midrange that will bore a hole in your eardrum) it will still sound awful. The final transducer determines the overall SQ of a system. Just my worthless 2 cents.

So I would spend at least 60% on speakers.
I'm confused...i agree with you about the speakers being the overall most important determination in a system's SQ, but your story didn't seem to back that up. You said the guy could NOT tell a difference after hooking up cheaper gear and bought them anyway?

I think a good speaker will reveal what good (or bad) gear can do. So he shouldn't have bought those speakers if a receiver can sound just as good as a Mc stack through them.
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  #23  
Old 05-22-2017, 01:59 PM
Rick721 Rick721 is offline
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Room treatment is most important because your speakers are only as good as the room they are in. Speakers around 40%
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  #24  
Old 05-22-2017, 04:19 PM
bigblue bigblue is offline
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Gaining experience on what different set up can bring to the table is crucial. Having spent 3 days at the High End Show in Munich for the 4th year you get a really good overall feeling on whats on the "audio menu". Then you can choose the direction that best fits your style. And when you found it - go with the most expensive speakers you the budget allows you to buy - and going for second hand will save you some nice cash. The Munich show really proved to me that you don't have to go all in to find a sound that you like. There were several small but sweet options that really filled my heart with musical enjoyment. One example is the new Dynaudio The Special Forty.
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  #25  
Old 05-22-2017, 05:53 PM
rnrmf1971 rnrmf1971 is offline
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My speakers are in the low single digit value (%) relative to everything else.
As crazy as that is, they've never sounded better.

I consider them the hardest thing to buy, due to the size and need to travel to listen to different speakers unless you're in the right city.
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  #26  
Old 05-22-2017, 10:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by still-one View Post
. . . . choose the speakers that will work best in your room and get close to the sound you are looking for. . . . . get the amplifiers that fit in your budget that allows you to get the most out of your speakers. Now go after the front end source components that allow you to play the format(s) you desire. . . . .
definitely true
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  #27  
Old 05-26-2017, 03:56 PM
Sancho22 Sancho22 is offline
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Well all good points. I think there are some exceptions like Shindo lovers adding Altec speakers (604/Flamenco or Valencia) for a fraction of the cost of their expensive audio racks (not gear) and selling their ultra expensive speakers. There may be many others, but I used this one as I also got a pair of Altecs for low price and could not belive what a 50 year old paiur of speakers can do (without XO etc upgrade - will be forthcoming)
YMMV.
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  #28  
Old 05-26-2017, 04:25 PM
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ylee ylee is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sancho22 View Post
Well all good points. I think there are some exceptions like Shindo lovers adding Altec speakers (604/Flamenco or Valencia) for a fraction of the cost of their expensive audio racks (not gear) and selling their ultra expensive speakers. There may be many others, but I used this one as I also got a pair of Altecs for low price and could not belive what a 50 year old paiur of speakers can do (without XO etc upgrade - will be forthcoming)
YMMV.
Speakers are more room dependent. Got a big room? Get big speakers that can fill the room with satisfyingly dynamic sound. This is where some may want to spend more of their budget on speakers that give linear performance as one increases the volume. So it makes little sense to buy Wilson Alexandria XLF speakers for example if your listening room is 12x15. For me in a 24x17x7 foot stereo room (about a medium sized listening space) that I built in my basement (the rest of my house has 9 - 11 ft ceilings, sigh) the biggest difference still comes from source components followed by the preamp. At the end of the day it's about personal preference coupled with the listening room and there is no simple formula.
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Last edited by ylee; 05-26-2017 at 08:53 PM.
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  #29  
Old 05-26-2017, 07:17 PM
Sancho22 Sancho22 is offline
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ylee - well said.
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  #30  
Old 05-26-2017, 08:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick721 View Post
Room treatment is most important because your speakers are only as good as the room they are in. Speakers around 40%
I agree 100% about treatments. I'm of the opinion that a well treated room with "mid-fi" equipment is better than an expensive system in a room with poor acoustics.
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Primary System (Always in flux):
Analog Source: Rega RP10
Phono Preamp: Bryston BP2/PS3
Digital Software: Roon, Tidal Streaming
Digital Music Server: Melco N1A/2
Digital Sources: Totaldac d1-twelve SE MkII (factory upgraded from MKI) with "live power" 4 output power supply, Oppo UDP-205
Preamplifier: Rogue Audio RP-9 (factory upgraded from RP-7)
Amplifier: Vandersteen M5-HPA
Speakers: Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT w/IsoAcoustics Gaia 1 feet
Cabling: WW Platinum Starlight 7 digital wires, Totaldac Gigafilter USB filter, AQ Sky XLR, AQ Fire RCA
Speaker Cables: AudioQuest Oak spades ---> bi-wire spades
Power Cables: Esprit PC (for DAC), 2 WW Platinum Electra PC (Preamp/Phono Preamp), AQ NRG10 (Melco N1A/2), AQ Blizzard (Quatro Wood CT built-in subs)
Power Conditioning: 2 AQ Niagara 1000, 3 Oyaide R1 outlets
Sound Treatments: 23 ASC Tube Traps and 10 Panels
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