[satie]

Yeah, change the fomula to fit what the op wants to hear. No problem.
Then I too have 50% speaker
50% amp.
Happy?
Then another 50% preamp. the a second preamp I use as a fancy  tube buffer list $4,000 includes another $1K in mods.. So that is 50% too.
Another preamp I use for it's great phono section, that was list $6,000 so another 50%
Then $5,000 worth of turntable so another 50%
$5K for the digital stuff another simple 50%
Then $5,000 worth of power conditioners and yet another 50%
So I am glad i am in agreement: 50% for speakers LOL 

I think the point of the question was about the percentage of speaker expenditure with an eye to guide a prospective buyer on how his budget is most likely going to be structured. The pileup of junk some of us accumulate is misleading since it is not all in the loop and we would not design our system today to have all those pieces in it. Also some of our setups are not reproducible with current models, nor that easy to do in the used market.

But I see your point about the appearance of trying to come into compliance with the rule of thumb recommendation. I would expect that maggies, being "value" high end products would occupy a lower percentage than normal - and be mated with far more expensive components.

[MtnHam]

40%


SoundLab Ultimate U-1PX

[MtnHam]

40%

The system:
Ayre KX-R pre, MX-R amps
SME 20/2 table SME V arm
Sota Star Saphire table, SME IV.Vi arm
Dynavector XV1-S, Sumiko Celebration,
Koetsu Black & Rosewood Signature cartridges
ARC Ref-2SE phono
Marantz SA-11S2 SACD player
MacMini server, Wavelength Crimson DAC
Skywire cables throughout, most IC's balanced
SoundLab Ultimate-1PX electrostatic speakers

[SwamisCat]

My 26 year old MG3a's are probably not worth $500, however I just got to audition the new $46,000 Wilson Alexia's last night.  I loved them.  But when I got home and turned on my $500 speakers, I did not feel bad at all.  In truth I actually preferred a few things on my Maggies.

The Wilson's ruled on dynamics, treble, ability to play loud, midrange and palpable presence.  I preferred the depth, soundstage and believe it or not the bass on my old guys. (The room was god awful in all fairness to the Alexia's)

[GT Audio Works]

My 26 year old MG3a's are probably not worth $500, however I just got to audition the new $46,000 Wilson Alexia's last night.  I loved them.  But when I got home and turned on my $500 speakers, I did not feel bad at all.  In truth I actually preferred a few things on my Maggies.

The Wilson's ruled on dynamics, treble, ability to play loud, midrange and palpable presence.  I preferred the depth, soundstage and believe it or not the bass on my old guys. (The room was god awful in all fairness to the Alexia's)

Absolutely...you don't need to spend a ton of money to get musical enjoyment. A well executed reasonable system will beat out a
a high priced system not used to its full advantage any day.

[MGbert]

Absolutely...you don't need to spend a ton of money to get musical enjoyment. A well executed reasonable system will beat out a
a high priced system not used to its full advantage any day.

Amen to that!  Room placement of the speakers makes SUCH a difference, and having a plan to get the system to meet your own goals goes most of the rest of the way.  Personally, that led to having the Magnestand mod done to my used Magnepan MMGs to improve dynamics, slam, and bass extension and incorporating a Behringer DEQ2496 equalizer to help with frequency balance in a dreadful 11 foot square room.  Result?  A system that (IMNSHO) can go up against much pricier rigs.   

Oh yeah, percentages.  The modded MMGs are just a shade under 50% of the total system currently in use.  But that includes 2 vintage Apt-1 power amps that go for about $350 each used.  OTOH, when they go I would at least try a Class D amp, which would most likely be close to the combined $700 price tag, so no difference to the ratio if that works out.

MGbert

[hakka26]

It was a general question..I believe it is not meaningless..I was trying to get a feel for how much individuals put towards their speakers out of a total system investment..Which I found these responses quite adequate. Of course there will be inputs that skew the scale but again I was just looking for an average.. If you want to lay out an itemized list of components and cost fine, this would make the comparison even more meaningful..I just thought considering the large investments some make,, some people would not be comfortable with that.
I am assuming most people have a reasonably balanced cost system, and do not pair $50,000 speakers with $500 amps, which would make the percentage meaningless... So in this context the actual dollar value is irrelevant.  If I asked you how many slices of pizza you ate you would not need to tell me the cost of the pizza for me to understand the concept of what percentage of the pie you ate.
                           Greg

Next time try staying on point when you answer and your post won't be meaningless. If all items were bought new in one purchase and is still intact as such then there would be some sense to your question and maybe even the attempts to answer. Is there a problem pairing $50,000 speakers with a $500 amp other than a case of too much money and too little gray matter? One more time, 60% of 100% is 60%, 60% of $100 is $60, the two aren't related unless made so. And, now to what makes your post meaningless, if I cut a pizza four ways and another sixteen and tell you I ate four pieces what percentage of the pie did I eat?

[GT Audio Works]

Next time try staying on point when you answer and your post won't be meaningless. If all items were bought new in one purchase and is still intact as such then there would be some sense to your question and maybe even the attempts to answer. Is there a problem pairing $50,000 speakers with a $500 amp other than a case of too much money and too little gray matter? One more time, 60% of 100% is 60%, 60% of $100 is $60, the two aren't related unless made so. And, now to what makes your post meaningless, if I cut a pizza four ways and another sixteen and tell you I ate four pieces what percentage of the pie did I eat?

However you slice it, it's all good...enjoy the hobby...Greg

[Chuckdog2005]

I honestly don't think about the percentages?

If I like it and can swing it, percentage of total cost is irrelevant.

It's a choice/purchase I made and it's behind me. Sadly, I've found many times cost has little to do with value.

[cnoble]

My Maggie 1.7s are about 20% of the total for my system (including cables), where my primary sources are a macbook and oppo 93.  As has already been noted, the Maggies totally outperform for their price.  (So does the playback software I've been using, primarily Amarra and Audirvana.)

Chris N