I agree that the listener could be the "weakest link", even I don't think
listener belong to a "HiFi system"...

I don't know, when you put up a system for yourself, should you have all
components balanced? (I don't mean the balance and single end)

Say you have a $5,000.00 system, you would not want to spend $2,000 on CD-
Player, $1,500 on Preamp, $2,000 on Amp, somewhat one or two hundred
dollars on cables, and spend $300 on speakers? Then, sure the speakers are
the weakest link!

My point is, keep all components at the same level, say 30% of your budget
on speakers, you may not get the best speakers, but hey, what can you
expect? It is just a matter of whether you like the sound of American
speakers (Soliloquy), European speakers (Cabasse), or Asian speakers
(Yamaha)?

Again, I'm a cable guy, I believe in cables make difference.

Yesterday, I listened between two pairs of nice pure copper and
silver/copper hybrid interconnect cables. Man! The difference is so
significant, my six years old daugther can pass the blind test.

Lawrence Leung