What if a high end speaker measures really badly?

@soix has it right. The Alta Audio speakers should be listened to before buying. I was one of those commenting on the Alyssa thread about frequency response and discontinuity issues. There were three speakers from them represented at Axpona. I heard the same issue on all of them. After the show, I wanted to see if there were measurements out there showing what I heard. Stereophile measurements of the Adam and Alyssa clearly show issues at around 3k, and to me it is audible. I wanted to like them, because they look beautiful. Some people may like the sound that they produce, I did not. 

Well then it better sound good.

I turned my laptop speakers up all the way and I still can't hear that graph. So no comment.

Probably not myself personally, but If someone likes the sound of an expensive speaker it does not matter that it does not measure well or technically may be poorly designed or implemented. The off base measurements will probably be an indicator of the particular unique sound that is liked and is less likely to be found elsewhere. In other words a poorly engineered speaker may sound unique and distinguish itself from others but the reason it sounds that way may not be a very good one.

Or one may just be drawn to a product by aesthetics.  You have to live with your speakers so looks matter.  It’s all good even if not so much technically. 

If it measures “really badly,” then it’s not a high end speaker IME. All the absolute best speakers I’ve heard and owned measure exceptionally well.

I have zero doubt that these days I would be able to quickly hear the issues with that Alta speaker. 

A decade ago when I was much less experienced, it’s likely that had I auditioned that same speaker, I would’ve thought it pretty good.