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In Reply to: Was light shining down on you as you realized this? posted by Schu on May 1, 2007 at 04:50:38:
Safe to say though put the money into Speakers and amp first then worry about the preamp
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Everything matters. I used to recommend with the best electronics but now I can see it from the opposite end too. In either case, the best sound is only as good as its weakest link. A bad preamp will kill the sound even if everything else is stellar.On the other hand, if you have really high resolution speakers then it will be easier to discern the differences in electronics. When you audition different sources, amplifiers, etc at home, the differences should be more clear with more resolute speakers. If you start with the best speakers you can get, you'll get the electronics upgrade urge sooner.
Back in the late 80's, you really had to spend some money to get decent sound. Back then, starting with the electronics was more important. Today's lower end electronics are a fair amount better so I cannot convincingly advocate one way or the other other than to state; Everything Matters.
"Safe to say though put the money into Speakers and amp first then worry about the preamp"I gotta disagree, a decent preamplifier opened my eyes to good-sounding hifi, a bad one will strangle the life out of the accompanying amplifier. I personally will rate the preamplifier higher than the power amplifier, provided the amplifier can drive the load.
Music making the painting, recording it the photograph
I say put the money into the power amp and speakers first, match the 2 with the preamp after you live with the combo for a while. as important preamp is it would be money much better spent on a top notch front end, again preamp last
In fact the preamp is pretty important! It has to handle the incoming signals (line, phono), control volume, provide missing gain (sometimes) and control the interconnect cable .In fact you can get away with murder if the front end signal is clean enough. Just try a cheap microphone with a great recorder as opposed to a great microphone into a cheap recorder and you will see what I mean. The front end signal has to be intact!
you can't make gold outta dog sh**!!
"Man is the only animal that blushes - or needs to" Mark Twain
The power amp must be capable of driving the speakers, but so long as that match is done correctly, the preamp has a lot more to do with how the system will sound.In my opinion, as far as priority on price/quality:
1. Speakers
2. Preamp
3. Source components
4. Power amp (but the power amp and speakers must work together)
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