How much of your total system budget on speakers?

That second 555PS would bring it in nearer mine at 2.5%…

G

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…and the fact that some speakers are heart-stoppingly fugly!

There was very similar thread last year. We agreed that the prices should be given for new items. For those having SBL, SL2……it would be good to calculate in today prices.

But really, who cares? Only those who know the price of everything and the value of nothing. If it works, that’s all that matters. The fact that some nobody had come up with an arbitrary figure is no reason to reach for the calculator, nor to feel that one has to justify one’s choices. Whether it’s 1% or 99%, it matters not.

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Yes disappointingly ATC score low on wife approval factor. Definitely couldn’t even try the “but they’re here now” strategy. Divorce lawyer on speed dial.

Our current beautiful gloss black SF have set an unfortunately high visual standard and apparently “sound good” so speaker upgrade is proving substantially more difficult to gain approval for than electronics.

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Doesn’t it rather depend on lots of variables, most obviously number and nature of sources?

I assumed 5% for cables and stands and looked at new prices…

If my only source were a modern equivalent of my CDS2, then most of my budget would have gone on amplification, but the current speakers cost more than the source, so it would be a mullet. 15/50/30

If my only source were NDX2 + XPS2, then the split would be about 25/45/25.

Taking the LP12 and Superline as sole source suggests roughly a 35/35/25 split.

Including all sources could easily give 55/25/15.

If I had opted for the next-best speakers when auditioning, which I nearly did, everything else would have been the same but the speakers would have cost a third less.

This also assumes the luxury of a buying new. Give the value on eBay, if I were building a 1-source system that way, the split might well be 50/35/10.

There is also a scale issue. Spending 40% on speakers out of a £1K budget might not be outlandish. If I had a vaguely normal room and a huge budget for a system, I would struggle to justify even 10% on speakers.

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With my Ovators I’m at about 20% give or take. 60-70% of total cost on speakers seems like a waste if not backwards.

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Tunetots 12k. Ndx2 8700. Sn3 5600. Hicap dr 3000. Chord speker cables 1800. The deeper you go into separates ( i did not go very deep) the smaller % required for speakers. You could have an incredibly well balanced system with a nova and some 3500 $speakers. Which would be a third. You could buy some really nice used separates and new speakers. ……You can buy new separates and used speakers, however, would wholly recommend deciding first on source and pre/integrated situation. I just didnt realize until i tested a pre amp due to the recommendation of many here, just what a difference it can make. In my own instance, i got an sn3 with hicap instead of seperate pre power. It is just a month old and it is all breaking in nicely.

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Thats because paul is now int the business of selling $28,000 speakers.

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I guess in my present system my speakers are about 45% of my system’s total value (expressed as current new equivalent), though that is a bit misleading because I am actively driving, and there is a separate active crossover, and of course amp costs are increased compared with passive systems. Over my 52 year hifi career speakers have been as low as about 25% (first system with DIY speakers) and up to maybe 70%. However the percentage of budget is actually meaningless on its own: a fundamental question is whether you want full range speakers or are content with curtailed bass. Full range done well is inherently far more expensive, and so if funds are not approaching limitless then as a percentage of budget speakers have to be high. If full range is not important the percentage on speakers can be a lot smaller.

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If it is coming out of the amp and the speakers can’t present it what’s the point?

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I couldn’t agree more!
I spent around 30% in my case.

To a certain extent, I agree. Speakers more than just about any other component do not necessarily improve with spending more. The sonic signature that you (or anyone else) prefer is probably less dependent on spending more once you learn what you value most. Different manufacturers will offer that at substantially varying price points.

45% on source
40% on amps
15% on speakers

I think Paul is just trying to drive sales of his new and very expensive loudspeakers among his client base, which is fine in my view since he’s a manufacturer and should be able to make his sales pitch. Seasoned audiophiles should know better though.

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I like Paul at PS, but I do believe he is out of line with the speaker/system $ ratio.
If you have unlimited resources tnen it makes more sense, I suppose.
I have an 1990s set of fully reconditioned Kef R107s, and they are sounding very good these days. I do wonder tho, if I listened to some current 10k or 12k speakers, maybe I’d be binning mine …

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He has as far as I can track always claimed the same manufacturing speakers or not.

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< 5%

Then we could also say the whole thread doesn’t matter too….

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That is true. It’s pointless.

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