For a noticeable upgrade in sound, what's more imortant?

[corysmith01]

I'm looking at buying some store demo B&W N805's. Bookshelves are the way to go for me...I just like pairing them with a good sub (SVS PB10 in my case). However, while negotiating with my dealer, I started to wonder; is the purchase of these speakers worth it (in terms of sound quality) if I'm going to be using the same receiver?

I currently use an Onkyo TX-SR602 running my B&W DM601 s3's. My thought was to move them to the back and have the N805's up front. At any rate, it got me thinking. Is it better to keep the same speakers and upgrade my receiver for better sound, or would you get a more noticeable difference with new speakers on the same receiver. My money is at a fixed amount. In a perfect world, you'd upgrade both. But if you could only upgrade one, which would you derive the most difference from; "Old" speakers with new receiver, or new speakers with "old" receiver?

Any insight would be hugely beneficial.

 

[JohnA]

IMHO you will get the most noticeable sound improvement by upgrading your speakers. Changing your Receiver "might" change the sound of your current speakers a little, but changing to better speakers should change it dramatically. Also keep in mind that if you change your room acoustics you will get better sound as well. Just my $.02

 

[markw]

Changing speakers will always produce a more audiable effect than changing the receiver.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Speakers. No doubt. The receiver won't make that big of a difference. Do you have a lot of control with an internal parametric eq? The newer receivers work wonders with sound anymore. I'm pretty sure Onkyo's are very flexible. Bring them home for a test run and let us know what you think.

 

[Leprkon]

speakers.

 

[warpdrive]

The most noticeable difference is upgrading speakers, then amplification and and then source (well, at least in the analog days...it made a HUGE difference, bigger than amplification). That's my experience.

But careful calibration and acoustical treatment can be very dramatic too.

I'd say that there is nobody that can't benefit from better speakers. If you stuck a B&W with a $199.00 Sony receiver, and compared it to a $500 bookshelf, I'm sure you could still hear the big improvement.

 

[WooHoo]

It's another vote for speakers. But your bound to get lot's of differing opinions on this site.

 

[zumbo]

Looks like speakers may sweep this one. We all finally agree on something.

 

[anamorphic96]

In this case both. The Nautilus line likes very good amplification so adding a bigger amp to drive them will be necessary. The specs may say different but the Nautilus line likes big beefy amps to here them at there best.

 

[Audioholics]

My goodness, man - for the ultimate in sonic nirvana can't you see you should be upgrading to new cables first?!?

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

If my binding posts were large enough, I'd splice jumper cables for the ultimate sound !

 

[20to20K]

I agree with Clint!

My goodness, man - for the ultimate in sonic nirvana can't you see you should be upgrading to new cables first?!?

Either cables or wooden knobs on your receiver!

 

[Red]

If you go with new cables you may as well go all the way and spring for the latest cable risers also.

If theat doesn't work then - speakers

 

[shokhead]

601's will be better as surrounds vs mains.

 

[Francious70]

For the better upgrade in sound, get an ear cleaning. That works too. Cheaper than new speakers, and helps more than new speakers, AND it's just good hygine. I completely serious.

Paul

 

[Tex-amp]

I think it depends on the speakers. I've seen folks upgrade their speakers when they haven't upgraded their front end to the point of delivering their speakers' full capabilties.

From my personal experience it would be very hard to say one area is most important. Souce , processing, amplification, and speakers can all have readily noticeable differences. Upgrading to power hungry speakers without upgrading power isn't going to unlock their potential.

 

[markw]

I've always been pleasently surprised how much my system improved after a few caipirinhas and Cardinal Mendozas. There seems to be a cumulitive effect up to a point.