I am not a building contractor but I've watched enough new construction to know a few things, like the importance of building a strong foundation. Constructing a beautiful home atop a shaky base is just asking for trouble. (Though, the opposite is equally true)
Top to bottom foundational strength matters in our music systems too. The best speakers in the world can't blossom without a solid foundation of electronics to power them and vice versa.
I have looked at systems displaying an inverted pyramid of products far too many times. Top heavy in one direction or another: Great speakers with weak electronics or conversely, great foundational electronics with wimpy loudspeakers.
I guess the point of this post is to remind us that foundations aren't always from the ground up.
What would you find if you took an honest evaluation of your setup? Would yours be a pyramid, hourglass or a solid rectangular shape?
The ideal, of course, is equal strength from beginning to end. Start at the AC wall socket and judge the chain all the way to your ear.
If you find your foundations solid you are fortunate. Few systems I have looked at are end-to-end strong.
There's nothing quite so satisfying as enjoying the benefits of a rock solid end-to-end foundation.
