The wallet is the most important part

Paul at PS Audio has stated for a very long time that the speakers are the most important component. Coming fro:a guy whose company (until very recently) only made amps and dacs, that says something and I completely agree with him.

I've now watched loads of your videos and you've never "really" had poor speakers. So of course at that level, yes, your priority order changes.

Another aspect that makes "the room" the most important is whether it is a room where you can listen whenever you want or it's a space that you share with your family and don't nearly get the listening time you'd like.

Those Focals are gorgeous. I also love the racing green as well.

That's true. I've made few evolutionary steps in building my setup, and every time I improved loudspeakers, I got remarkable difference.

Never confuse sound "quality" with music Nice set up

The most important part of a HiFi-Setup is THE ROOM! I've heard really expensive HiFi-Setups in bad rooms, wich sounds poor, compared to "cheap" HiFi-Setups in optimized rooms.

I always thought of the seat in the room that is considered the "sweet" spot, to be the most important. So long as there is no weak link in your system.

I agree with the importance of the room but would put it on equal standing as the speakers. That combination is critical on getting the most out of a system. Looking at your room, I am somewhat surprised more attention isn't placed on the front wall and the placement of the electronics. Quadratic diffusion is on the front wall brings such imaging and soundstage and keeps the room lively. I would think the gear and the tall furniture stand would create unwanted and uncontrolled reflections. You say it works exceptionally well for you and I don't doubt it, so I guess there's more than one way to get lovely sound.

Um, sir. Those tanks are not "bookshelf speakers". Those would break any bookshelf not made of adamantium. Those are indeed, "stand mounted" speakers.

You didn’t mention your tonearm, it’s a British made Origin Live Illustrious tonearm, fabulous sounding tonearm.

Most important part of a high quality system is your credit card 💳

You nailed it. The room is most important. Bad reflections and bass peaks and lows can destroy everything. It’s also my project for the next 3 month, got a 36m2 room in the ceiling and it’s blank. So it’s a lot of work. Working with Acapella Fidelio, Martin Logan S800 Sub, Rega Planar 1 with AudioTechnica VM95SH and Leak130 Amp I‘m a beginner but already had great moments. So the new room will hopefully help to increase, next step will be Billie MKII ‚cause of your great review. Greetings from Germany

A speaker i would like you to test if you get your chane ever is the TAD CE-1 If you like the Focal Diablo , you will fall in love with the TAD’s i can insure you 👍

It's all important. Synergy is key. Im enjoying music like never before through my Audiovector r1 arrete speakers and Gryphon Diablo 120 amp

Definetely agree on the room and adapting and tweaking your speaker and listen positioning as well as utilizing natural sound dampening furnishings to also tweak. Have you ever tried a Rega turntable in your system? I'm quite fond of their tables and sound even in their above entry level range

I agree with you on the importance of the source but I think of the source as the music recording and recording medium rather than the electronic component playing or streaming the music. The room/room setup and source are similar in that they place upper limits on the quality of audio possible and no amount of high fidelity gear can overcome these limits. Thanks for sharing.

Can I come over? Seems so chill to sit in that room with the view looking at the woods. It's very nice.

The most important audio component in a Hi Fi system is the source component. The quality of the musical signal coming out of this first component defines the ultimate ability of any audio system. Every other component in the system merely passes on this signal with greater or lesser accuracy. None can enhance or improve it. Many people believe that the speaker is the most important link in the Hi Fi chain. Intuitively this makes sense because it is where the sound comes from. And true enough, if you change your speakers, a very different sound will come forth, but it will not be an improvement on the source signal.

Really amazing! Congratulations and thank you for sharing these jewels with the audience!

I have Medowlark Kestrels. If I can ever find the Medowlark Herons I would buy them in a heartbeat.

I agree with the #1 but my #2 is active speakers over most hifi systems. And i don't get annoyed from the differents of source, like tv, cd and streamer.

I totally agree with your list! Rooms can make or break a system. Source is always my second choice this is where I spend the most on.

Glad you chose this topic. Curious to hear your take. Hope you chose the Pass. Unless you say the room.

Always enjoy your videos thank you. Do you think maybe a true dedicated equipment rack could be in your future? That could possibly bring an extra degree of performance from your beautiful system.

The Billie amp! I want one of them!

What’s this! You have seen the light and DITCHED OMA! Well done. Most realize their stuff is far from the best.

I'm not sure I agree with you this time. Yes the room is important but there's A LOT you can do to tune a room. But, crap speakers are crap speakers no matter what you do.

Ho una coppia di AR M1, un lettore cd Philips, un giradischi Denon e un amplificatore in classe D pagato nuovo su Wish 25 euro. Cavi di potenza e di segnale standard. Aveva ragione Mark Levinson che affermava che le Acoustic Research M1 sono un miracolo dell'acustica. Usate si possono acquistare per 100/200 euro. Il suono che emettono è veramente una magia. Il costo del mio impianto potrebbe essere 300 euro. Se si ha la fortuna di possedere una coppia di AR M1 si può comprendere che il resto dell'impianto è puro "contorno". Un McIntosh da 10 mila euro o un Denon da 1000 euro o un altro amplificatore (a vostra scelta sia per il prezzo che per la qualità) determinano un leggerissimo cambiamento del suono degli altoparlanti. Le casse fanno il 90% della qualità dell'impianto hifi. Buon pomeriggio da Roma.

The most important part of the system is the person with the ears to listen to them

The HoloAudio May DAC KTE version would be a nice source for this calibar system

The most important part of any system is.... The part you like the best !

Love your priorities and I fully agree. I have about $6k into my digital source and I love it. exaSound E62 DAC, BOTW lmps, Phasure Lush^3 usb audio cable, and optical isolation back to the Roon core. 👌🏽👏🏼👏🏼

The way I look at it is what part of audio chain is central to system. The amp imo, as it's the one component that is potentially a lifetime purchase. Speakers next and dac last

Room first. Transducers ( speakers and cartridge) second, in my experience

UHF Ultra High Fidelity a Cdn magazine now no longer around always emphasized the source as the most vital part of a sound system along with room setup. It makes sense based on the garbage in garbage out principle.

I think the speakers are the same as the lens on a 35 mm camera the better the lens the better the image

One important component you left out is neighbors.If your neighbors are calling the cops every time you turn up the volume they need to be removed from your system.

You should test out a PecanPi Streamer/DAC from Orchard Audio

Would you rather have Buchardt S400 (~$2k) + DCS Bartok Apex (~$20k), or Focal Diablo (~$20k) + Denafrips Pontus II (~$2k)?

Great content - really useful, thanks. Do the fabric flowers do anything? I could easily get some done.

The person listening is the most important part

the room is the room. my system is in the living room and nothing in the room is gonna change for improvement on sound reasons. So the system has to adapt to the room.

Thanks for sharing

Stereo pair of subs ( I have dual REL s510s), and they rock my world!

Cables are the most important. Without cables there's no sound

Interested in the solo piano music at the beginning (esp) in the background too....

I keep saying to myself, if only my room was a little bigger. My system would sound so much better with a little more space to give my full range speakers a little more "breathing room".

Stand mount speakers

The synergy between components is important and difficult to achieve. You have all bases covered starting with the mains supply and mains cables and moving through to the speakers and their positioning. The system should just let the music out without getting in the way and the room has to be quiet and not confuse the sound with reverberations and resonances. Your system manages to not look like a jumble of parts sprouting a cobble of wires which makes a difference to concentrating on the playback too.

1. Speakers 2. Room tuning 3. Source 4. Clean power 5. Cables

Most important doesn't work without the complete package. High end components start to become tedious when the complexity over rides just enjoying music.

So is it synergy? Then speakers Then source DAC amp cables Room is there somewhere here too…

The room is probably the most important piece.

Need a 5 band EQ

The most important part of your system isn't a part of your system, but it's the reference material that runs through it, without that, everything else is pointless!

Hi hope you are well. Kam from Melbourne . I like your reviews and the way you tell the story. It’s engaging. If you get the chance please do review the burson timekeeper 3ir. It’s a Melbourne based company. Also in your opinion ( i know it’s system dependent) what power conditioner would you recommend under $2000 aud. Plzz

The room then the speakers 🔊

I had high end cd players(3 to 5k) or so I thought until I bought a 3rd hand heavily discounted Rega Isis. Source is no. 1 then tweak whatever space you have

No CD transport? At the end I never heard you mention Preamp(s)

The best way to consider this issue: A room's impact can negate the best sound of any gear.

How do those focals compare to say a Wilson audio Sasha Why don’t you break your corners by putting chamfered pieces there?

1 = speakers...............2 = pre-amp...............3 = power amp..................4 = cd player cables = 1) power cord...............2) speaker cables....................3) interconnects

Are the Fleetwoods gone?

I’ve stuck diffusion panels onto my computer screen to get an effect of my desktop system.

Is that a tiny Roxy Paine sculpture on top of your speed control?

No dynaudio special ?

can you do a more detailed focal diablo demo?

Speakers are most important. Room can be optimised. Greetz from 🇨🇭

Thoughts on B&W 803 D4 ?

I never though they were. This notion probably started when people believed that the only function of a turntable was to keep the record at a constant speed, that amplifiers had no sonic signature of their own and that cables made no difference in the sound.

The source is the most important part of a HiFi. No amp or speaker can make the source sound better. Garbage in, garbage out.

diablo now you need to test the Gryphon diablo 300 integrated

The most important part of any system, is your ears. The next two things go hand in hand… the room & the wallet… then speakers, amps, streaming & cables in that order…

These Diablos better than the SF Guaneris? French and the Italians make the sexiest speakers.

yes the room

What is your thaught about room correction you can make in the Roon or by a miniDSP by Direc Live ? Have you tested it? Best Regards Fredrik

The one that’s the most important is the one that just broke. 😝

It’s the room.

I can tell you unequivocally and without question the single most important piece of any Hi-Fi system are your ears - some ears listen to the Hi-Fi and some listen to the music but whichever they are these are the most important. Also source. Poor in poor out.

Yes, the speakers are the most important of a system. Obviously.

i don't like the pins for the grill

I think the music source are the most important.

The midrange

Personal opinion, garbage in, garbage out. What is lost at the beginning can never be recovered. I am biased in this respect because my four main sources are vinyl. :)

A bit "church sound" mb favorable in sonic regard ;-)

Don’t forget the understanding wife😂

filtered and well regulated electricity/power is where the magic originates....you can have a $300M sound system with a crappy electrical/power source OR no electricity at all and your system does not have a prayer sounding better than a car radio

Most important thing in audio system is listener

the most important part of any system is 1) quality of the recording then 2 ) speakers

I've got the perfect room but no speakers 🥲

The most important component of any Hi Fi are your ears. Its not about what it cost, what designer kit you have or how big your speakers are. It's all about how it sounds to you regardless of the kit used.

BRAVOOOO

Is that an origin live tonearm which one? You should try the blackbird that's a fantastic sounding arm. You need to put isolator under your turntable, not a great place to put it on the rack top like that its acting as a soundboard. If you have a bit of DIY skills You can make a fantastic isolator by suspending the turntable. If you get two bamboo chopping boards piece of inch plywood or HDF Get the plywood or HDF and cut it one and a half inches x4, another pieces by 2" x4, Glue and screw or nail the 2" piece to the bottom of the one and a half inch piece, so you're forming an L. do the same for the bottom chopping board but flip the L so interlinks with the top L between these two L-shaped pieces drill a fine hole 3 mm so you can hang a piece of very strong cotton or fishing line, same on the other side as well. oh and cut the length of the L-shaped in the middle so there's a gap for better isolation. The thread is under tension with the top chopping board with the bottom one making it suspended. giving you great movement and isolation. hold the pieces of cotton or fishing line with a small nail on both ends so the thread is looped on both ends around the nail. You could place feet or even glue a mouse mat on the bottom chopping board to protect your surfaces, Best isolation you can get. Give it a go you'll be surprised I forgot to say make sure the interlocking L's when the thread is put in is a gap! so there's movement, You don't want the L touching the other L peace Just make sure the bottom L on the bottom board is closer together to give you the gap a 5-8 mm gap should be fine. I would say if you're surface you're putting it on is unlevel then you need to use adjustable feet then use separate chopping board for this purpose as well and put the isolator on a level surface because the isolator will automatically level itself and could make it touch itself defeating the object.

$24k ?!?!?! Yessh, I thought those Fleetwood you had cost a ton. Yeesh...

You couldn’t hear the difference between that dcs DAC and a better measuring DAC from Topping.

Source? Yes but source back to the performance itself, then the recording-(engineer). While listening to a mediocre system, find to a great performance, well recorded a little concert is happens. Of course the system itself can get closer but I’ve also heard great performances made virtually unlistenable by an inept engineer, maybe unrecoverable.

I thought #1 was going to be "the music"

Source IMO