Which compnent do you consider to be anchor of system?Speaker, Amp,Source,Etc.

rollo · « **on:** 20 Feb 2007, 03:57 pm »

I say speaker and source then amp
rollo

macrojack · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 04:01 pm »

Nope. It's the wire. Don't you read these threads?

honesthoff · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 04:02 pm »

My freezer, then my camera, then my CLC.

woodsyi · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 04:03 pm »

The cones on my rack that dig into the carpet to make contact with the cement floor on my basement anchor all my gear.

Seriously, it has to be the system as a whole for me -- not one thing or another.

acresm22 · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 04:28 pm »

Couple years ago TAS did a rountable discussion on this topic with David Wilson of Wilson speaker fame, the guy who founded Linn, and some others. It was a pretty entertaining read. The Linn guy of course stuck to the philosophy of "crap in, crap out," while Wilson undertandably said the speaker is the most vital link in the chain. This was after he had put together some audio show demo where Wilson was driving a pair of their Sophia speakers with an ipod as the source.
The discussion got rather heated, as I recall....lots of huge egos sitting at that table ; )

gooberdude · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 06:39 pm »

My credit card....

rollo · « **Reply #6 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 07:52 pm »

Quote from: macrojack on 20 Feb 2007, 04:01 pm

Nope. It's the wire. Don't you read these threads?

Macrojack,
Of course it is the wires.How could I forget.
rollo

Scott F. · « **Reply #7 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 09:38 pm »

In my own feeble means of deductive reasoning, once you find a speaker that is voiced to your preferences and it plays nice with your room, amps and sources will be less of an overall factor in your room. Sure, they all sound different and everybody has their preferences but none will interact (as positively or detrimentally) with your room as much as the speakers will.

After the speakers, personally I would put the amp over the source with a minor margin. Mainly because of issues like damping factors (obviously I refer to and prefer tubes).

Just my $.02

mjosef · « **Reply #8 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 09:41 pm »

Speakers... I usually live with my speakers the longest. Every other piece of gear are subject to swapping/rotation.

Tweaker · « **Reply #9 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 10:19 pm »

Wilson Audio's test to prove the speaker is the most important link wasn't very honest in that most ipods and the like are capable of very good audio reproduction.
I don't thing a great sounding system can be assembled without placing pretty much equal importance to every component, but the speakers would be where I would be the least likely to compromise .

smccull · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 10:57 pm »

It seems to me that the electro-acoustic interface of the speakers is the greatest cause of distortion in the chain, so therefore more care should be given to the flavor of distortion you're most willing to live with. Behind speakers I'd have to say source, then amp, then cables and tweaks. I've had tweaks (power conditioning, racks, footers, etc.) provide as much improvement as cables so the last two are pretty close to call.

R_burke · « **Reply #11 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 11:05 pm »

Interesting

Initially I thought of this as what is the most important piece of equipment (IMO the speakers). After I thought about it for a while I asked myself what piece changes the least and I came up with a different answer. In my case the source is what I would consider the anchor because I have had it the longest and changed it the least. I experiment with different speakers and am always looking to improve in this area, so they change the most.

Soundbitten · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 11:27 pm »

Quote

Which component do you consider to be anchor of system?

my amp is heavy enough to make a good anchor

rollo · « **Reply #13 on:** 20 Feb 2007, 11:47 pm »

Soundbitten,
Especially if it solid state.Just kidding,do not want to start a debate on S/S vs tube.
Scott F,smuccll,and R_burke,all good responses Source and speakers so far.
rollo

Scotty · « **Reply #14 on:** 21 Feb 2007, 12:54 am »

My vote goes to the source as being the most critical element in the system.
No matter how good the rest of your reproduction system is if you don't put the most accurate copy of the original signal possible into your system at the start you will be limited by a lack of information. No matter how good the rest of your system is this failure at beginning will reduce you to no better than mid-fi instead of HiFidelity performance.
Scotty

WEEZ · « **Reply #15 on:** 21 Feb 2007, 01:13 am »

I'd say speakers. And provided that the amp is a good match in terms of power and damping; source would be second.

WEEZ

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #16 on:** 21 Feb 2007, 01:15 am »

Quote from: Scotty on 21 Feb 2007, 12:54 am

My vote goes to the source as being the most critical element in the system.
No matter how good the rest of your reproduction system is if you don't put the most accurate copy of the original signal possible into your system at the start you will be limited by a lack of information. No matter how good the rest of your system is this failure at beginning will reduce you to no better than mid-fi instead of HiFidelity performance.
Scotty

I use to think along those lines until one day I heard a pair of Acoustat 2+2's (electrostatic speakers) driven by a $300 Rotel amp with a $300 Rotel CDP. Speakers by far will make the biggest difference. Last year I plugged a pair of Visaton B200's into a modest Sony mini system. I had no idea how good that humble little shit box could sing if given a decent speaker. A good source and amp have their place, but a good speaker will make a much bigger difference.

Audiovista · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 Feb 2007, 03:51 am »

I vote the listening room, then speakers....or speakers, then room.....

Scotty · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 Feb 2007, 02:12 pm »

Wind Chaser,consider what you might have heard with a near state of the art source under the same conditions. I will agree that even a transistor radio will show improvements when connected to better speakers but this is not a place to stop and say, now I have arrived at the Hi-End of sound reproduction. If you never ask your system to stand up and do something by using a demanding source you don't what it can do or where it's limitations lie. Don't set the bar too low.
To put it another way,I can jump as high as Michael Jordan in a room with an 8ft.
ceiling.
Scotty

konut · « **Reply #19 on:** 21 Feb 2007, 04:22 pm »

The music is the anchor.
As I reflected about all the hardware I've owned over the years it occured to me that its like a moving set of goalposts. Some components I've kept for years because the quality could not be improved unless I spent a lot of money. Then technology would advance and out the door they would go because a significant upgrade could be had for sane money. I havn't bought an amp in 10 years. I bought new speakers 2 years ago. I got a SB3 less than a year ago. As I thought about it, I realised that the ONLY thing that hasn't changed, since I started this hobby, was the music. If Abbey Road doesn't sound good on it, I don't buy it.