Every component in your playback chain matters. The foundation for great sound reproduction lies within your source components. For analog (vinyl) playback, these source components include the analog turntable, cartridge, and phono preamplifier; for digital, they can include a one-piece CD/SACD player or stand-alone disc transport connected to a DAC (digital-to-analog converter, aka D/A converter), a stand-alone clock or reclocker to help your DAC read digital data accurately and more accurately convert it to analog, a music server / streamer to play your own files and those from streaming services, and a line preamplifier. Quality depends on choice of parts, layout, engineering acumen, and the care devoted to manufacturing and product inspection.