Which (ICE Component) will make the most difference in Sound Quality?

[DerAlte]

Chill, guys. The least one is expected to do is to understand what is being said or asked, rather than ridiculing an idea or a question. "There are no dumb questions, only dumb answers" - maybe that adage is being proven here.

Some have definitely misunderstood the intent AND the content of the question (sure, a question can always be better expressed)! An alternative viewpoint can be constructive criticism if the acerbic and acidic parts are left out, otherwise the intent of the answer is misunderstood.

"will you be able to tell" is never directed at a person's ability, it is a colloquial expression questioning the "possibility of telling the difference". There is no point to be proven here, only a request for getting ideas and alternative viewpoints together.

[vebmetal]

Ahhh, LBM, now I finally understand the question (kudos to B&T).

So basically, if you have an ICE setup in your car for a while, and one day without your knowledge someone changes a component in it, which component would make the biggest difference? (HU / Speakers / Speaker Wire etc.).

My vote would be Speakers > HU > Amplifier > Damping. The rest IMHO don't make that much of a difference that would be noticeable. I think a large part of speaker wire markup is psychological. I'm no guru, but then again most audio is not designed for or used by gurus.

(Reminds me of a funny incident that happened recently. I was choosing some stones for flooring, and this one particular type had a very dirty look and it looked all cracked. According to the guy and others it was a superb stone and iski look lay-man ko nahin samajh aati. So I told him I am not interested in only inviting flooring experts to my home.)

[low_bass_makker]

Originally Posted by vebmetal

My vote would be Speakers > HU > Amplifier > Damping. The rest IMHO don't make that much of a difference that would be noticeable.

See vikram18 this is a correct way to answer. Thanks Veb.

[panky12345]

I think it would be something like this:

Speakers > Amplifier > HU > Cables

[Bass&Trouble]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Some have definitely misunderstood the intent AND the content of the question (sure, a question can always be better expressed)! An alternative viewpoint can be constructive criticism if the acerbic and acidic parts are left out, otherwise the intent of the answer is misunderstood.

Yup, thats the reason I posted what I did.

I dont think the question is pointless either. Just not correctly phrased. If I understand correctly, he is quite disturbed by "audiophiles" and people that exhibit those charachteristics. Not in any negative way, but he just wants to know what are the differences that some can hear so remarkably well that otherwise seem impossible.

In some ways I agree with him. I surely cannot say my ears are so trained that I can walk into a room or car, hear a setup for a few minutes and then immediately identify the difference if someone changed an RCA cable thereafter without telling me. Or even an amp. For the latter, I would first have to have accustomed myself to the setup very very well if both amps in concern are of very similar pedigree. Maybe I would still be able to tell the difference just because changing the amp resulted in some different power level being fed to the speakers or different crossover points or something!

That I think is the gist of his story.

Call me a Diplomat if you will..anything but an Old Monk (Shrivz: Please stop PMing me, its not happening!!).

[vikram18]

Ok. I can only tell if you change the song.

[rocksterraghu]

Alrighty. Now I would change my opinion and say 'Tweeters'. I am very very careful about the kind of and level of highs. I sometimes pull over to set the highs right. So for me, it would be the tweeters.

Please note that this is when the rest of the stuff is stay put.

[low_bass_makker]

Originally Posted by rocksterraghu

Alrighty. Now I would change my opinion and say 'Tweeters'. I am very very careful about the kind of and level of highs. I sometimes pull over to set the highs right. So for me, it would be the tweeters.

Please note that this is when the rest of the stuff is stay put.

Sir tweeters can sound very different, but if we say the word speaker it will include the tiniest tweeter to biggest woofer.

[rocksterraghu]

Originally Posted by low_bass_makker

Sir tweeters can sound very different, but if we say the word speaker it will include the tiniest tweeter to biggest woofer.

Yes paaji I understand, I was just being specific.

[five46]

For me, change in the HU will make the most, because change in HU is visible and it'd definitely send psychological brainwaves that there's a difference in what I'm hearing...

[low_bass_makker]

Originally Posted by five46

For me, change in the HU will make the most, because change in HU is visible and it'd definitely send psychological brainwaves that there's a difference in what I'm hearing...

Hmm it means that if you have good speaker(DLS, Morel) in your car and if you change them with sony or pioneer the change would be less when compared to the HU ?

[five46]

Wow LBM!!! How I wish I could jus listen to a DLS or Morel, leave aside owning one!!
But, yes! Whatever you said, like say currently I've a JBL setup, if it were to be changed without my knowledge, then I'd come to know about it. But, only after sometime, a little sooner if my favourite tracks were to be played. But if the HU's changed, it'd be a little quick for me!

Originally Posted by low_bass_makker

Hmm it means that if you have good speaker(DLS, Morel) in your car and if you change them with sony or pioneer the change would be less when compared to the HU ?

[vebmetal]

Originally Posted by five46

For me, change in the HU will make the most, because change in HU is visible

I think you missed this LBM.

[saintsinner]

Speakers>Amp + power cables>HU>Cables(Audio)>Damping

i mean if I had to upgrade, this is how it would decide my budget.