the big one: how do you choose speakers? By what features, data?

Join a few. SF is by far the best.

I’m not an ”expert”, but I can share my speaker shopping experience.

I’m semi retired so started in-depth researching audio components about 7yrs ago.  I read all the current audio reviews including TAS and Stereophile.  I started demoing the best speakers I can find, then try to duplicate the sound the best I can within my limited budget.  I consistently favored Magico or YG, but my budget limited me to the Nagico A5 or a used S5mk2.  I dream of the M3 maybe someday.

Since this was my first audio chain, I wanted end to end neutrality so I can easily evaluate component upgrades.  So the speaker I was targeting was neutral, linear, but not clinical.  I’m interested In crystalline highs and well defined bass.  At last year’s AXPONA, I demoed with the intent to choose a speaker to purchase.  It came down to the Magico A5 which had better treble clarity, vs Rockport Atrua sounded better balanced but somewhat muffled - show conditions often have poor sonics.  During the show I heard the very highly regarded Vimberg Mino D but when I discovered it had the D “diamond tweeter”, which is a +$10k option, it was priced above my budget.  After AXPONA, I discussed my findings with my dealer who offered to be the intermediary to help me to get the Vimberg speakers.  So after they lowered the price and I raised my budget, I purchased the demo speakers- likely the same green ones advertised in Stereophile/TAS magazines.

My other system is to explore tube midrange magic, so using a flea watt 300b amp to drive my 100db Volti Rival speakers.  I also wanted a neutral, linear speaker but very high sensitivity to run a 4-8 watt amp - choices are slim.

Other speakers that are more musical than neutral/linear are the DeVore Orangutan 0/96 and the Fleetwood Sound DeVille speakers.  Maybe someday. 

@kennyc those are high end speakers, I'd love to see some system pics some day!

Plus, the Vimbergs look way cooler than the other two.

@dynamiclinearity Wrote:

By dynamic linearity(my handle) which is NOT playing loud cleanly although that's a small part of it. It's accurate, non-compressed level changes whether they are micro changes or macro changes. It's what makes live music sound live. Think of it you can tell live sound even outside a room so it's not the standard ideas such as flat response which is lost out of the room. And change a seat in a live concert and the response changes in different locations but the dynamic linearity doesn't. I think of wide bandwidth speakers that always sound sweet and smooth as wide bandwidth radios but not as accurate reproduction. And all the other stuff like flat response and low distortion matter but they are secondary.

My sentiment exactly! In my speaker journey I discovered the specifications to look at that might help define the criteria above. Power linearity, directivity, dispersion and true efficiency, if you can find a speaker manufacturer that will publish said specifications. FWIW, my present speakers are actively biamped hybrid horns. 😎

Mike

Sound, price, and does the company back their product, can I get parts and what is the overall customer service? Without the 3rd consideration covered...I don’t have the brand on my list.

There have been very popular and great sounding speaker companies that have come and gone.... in a decade or less. Not what I want. The reputation and longevity of a company means ALOT to me.