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Thread: Spending Most Of The Budget On Amplification?

  1. #1
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,779
    I'm Martin.

    Default Spending Most Of The Budget On Amplification?

    What do people think? Some say spend most on the source, others say the loudspeakers should get the most of it.

    But is the amplification really the key to getting a good sound? Slowly dawning on me that this might indeed be the case.

    Current system if you ignore the TT which is not my primary source, and cables, I've got 65% of the spend in the amps. Never had a better sound.

    What's your percent spent on amps and what's your opinion?
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  2. #2
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Toulouse, France

    Posts: 6,562
    I'm Kevin.

    Default

    My primary source would probably cost slightly more than my amplification, but not much more.
    Kevin

    Too busy enjoying the music....

    European loan coordinator for Graham Slee HiFi system components..

  3. #3
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

    Default

    I think it depends on what your looking for. Yours is maybe not the norm. I would say speakers most. Then share out rest between source, cables and amp.
    Obviously it depends on budget too, but in most folks case

    Oh, and turntables are excluded
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  4. #4
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,779
    I'm Martin.

    Default

    Agree not the norm but I've always been of the opinion it was speakers first, if using a digital source. Now reconsidering that.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    The spend allocated to each part of the system should be reasonably proportionate. You don't bung a two grand MC in a PL-12D for instance (unless you are nuts ).

    This may oversimplify, but perhaps 30% on speakers, 30% on amplification and 40% on source
    Last edited by walpurgis; 02-03-2017 at 22:25.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,853
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

    Default

    In the case of vinyl, my turntable, arm and cartridge adds up to a little more than my most expensive power amps. The CD player (bought used) was £400, and my tuner only £200; so considerably less than the amplifier. My speakers can be obtained (used) for ~ £500, but an equivalent new would cost about the same as the amplifier.

    However if I were to advise anyone, I would say spend equally on the source, amplification and speakers. I'm well aware of the argument for having a good source, but all components in the audio chain are important. If you have an inferior source, then no amount of expenditure on amplification and speakers will improve matters. Likewise you won't be able to hear how good your source is if you use cheap amps and speakers.
    Barry

  7. #7
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Macca View Post
    Agree not the norm but I've always been of the opinion it was speakers first, if using a digital source. Now reconsidering that.
    My speakers although homemade and relatively cheaply still added up to a fair bit. Being homemade fullrange, like most of my sets, are not really sellable but there is a lot of cash in them, and a fair bit of me. No one wants fullrange these days, they get i guess an unfair rep. Again it does depend of musical tastes and the sound you desire, or feel you desire.
    My buffer is next in cost surprisingly, then cables. Amps and cd etc lowly down list, but work well in this way. Tt and all its paraphernalia are of course more than everything combined, a couple of times probably. Looking at it that way, its a damn stupid system vinyl... lol
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  8. #8
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,853
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

    Default

    Cables are the least expensive part of my system. I prefer to make my own, and usually spend no more than £10 per interconnect.
    Barry

  9. #9
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,779
    I'm Martin.

    Default

    If you bring vinyl into it then I agree it doesn't really work. But with digital not a problem. My current source is only 2.5% of the total budget. Okay that is the next area for upgrade, so that will change, but hopefully not by much.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Jul 2011

    Location: Northamptonshire

    Posts: 1,914
    I'm Peter.

    Default

    I was once told by a dealer that I should budget about 30% of the system spend on cables, because "they can make the biggest difference". Strangely, I didn't follow his advice, or, indeed, buy anything from him.

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