((((JA asks why the speaker wasn’t time aligned since they could basically do it for free and the reply was that specific xover design sounded better without it.)))
I think the true answer is its not free!
Actually very laborious in order to do it correctly using pis-tonic drivers networked in an-echoic neutral chamber custom tuned to 1/10th of a DB only then behave as a true coherent phase and time aligned speaker. Then in field tilt back properly done to your chair and ear height with distance from speaker allows the magic to happen. In the real world most all designers and simple folks will run from this task.
JohnnyR Vandersteen dealer