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Have speakers really improved within the last 20 years??

Question:

  • If there is one measurement that would prove that speakers have indeed got better over the last 20 years, what would it be? 

I dont just want one example of a speaker from today that has a better measurement than another speaker from 20 years ago because that could just be a coincidence. I want to see IRREFUTABLE PROOF that most speakers today have a measured performance in at least one area that is better than most speakers 20 years ago.

When I look at a typical bookshelf speaker from 20 years ago versus one from today i see little difference. All i see is a wooden box, typically mdf with a pair of drivers in 'em. There would be a small crossover circuit inside and a bit of foam inside the box and that would be the end of the story. I would like to believe that speakers have gotten better but I see no reason to believe it. All I see is that speakers may have gotten brighter and brighter with time to dupe us into thinking we are hearing more detail. 

This challenge is open to any audiophile or speaker designer reading this.
kenjit
shamus2211's avatar
shamus2211
47 posts
 
Kenjiit, I suspect you wouldn't know a good speaker from a bad one. You are vague and not a little irritating to be honest. Try tiddlywinks (no measurement issues and cheap, just like you) and leave us in peace.
mahlman
433 posts
 
Say's the guy who does not own a speaker nor have a system posted. On the other hand we now have another chapter of Audiogone's (I mean really gone) version of The Onion to entertain us for a bit. I love the "take this seriously" responses the most.
sj00884's avatar
sj00884
80 posts
 
Ah, the age old question, Ginger or Maryann? Like hearing, this changes with age :)
cakids
166 posts
 
In spite of the fact that this seems to be a recurring trolling thread, I’ll offer my experience. I have 2 systems. One has brand new Goldenear Triton One.r speakers. The other has a 20 year old Audio Physic Scorpio - about equivalent in price. They are comparable in sound quality. The AP has better imaging. The GE has better bass and slam. If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t be able to tell which is newer.
I’m sure that speaker design has improved over the last 20 years, but some older stuff is really good!
rcronk
52 posts
 
There is no one single measure that I know of and I both like and hate the, 'how does it sound to you' answers.  The huge difference over the last 20 years is found in 'material science'.  The raw materials have developed in all aspects of audio into new 'materials' and this is true from the material for cones of drivers to the construction of electronic components and the qualtiy of everything from contemporary Cardas copper wire to silver lined capacitors, etc.  The new materials allow for higher SPL/sensitivity without loss, and in fact performs much better than weak/low spl speakers.  If you take apart a common 1970s speaker you will find lots of really crappy junk stuffed into them:  Sony, Bose, Sansui, Henry Kloss's ARs and Advents, and even Magnavox et al.  
If you start with speakers from the 60s and 70s you are able to track the change in design and materials better and able to see the trends that began in the 60s and are still 'trending' today.  And it also depends on which speakers you are talking about.  Kenjit describes a cheap commercial speaker and is accurate.  If he took a close look at a pair of $140,000 Focal speakers it does not look at all like his description.  There is alot of room inbetween!!! 
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