Would you buy speakers with out first listening ?

I bought my Green Mountain Continuum 3s without auditioning the. Like others, I did loads of research and spoke to Roy who designs and builds them. They far exceeded my expectations.

Tom

I am very close to doing this very thing...

after reading and reading...and reading, and emailing owhers of Eminent technology planar hybrids, I am quickly feeling more and more that these might be my speakers, also talking to Bruce there is a pleasure, still wish I could find Ohio or PA owners so I might impose for an audition, but im pretty close to taking the plunge.

Interesting that some of the speakers mentioned are of the work-horse variety, ie..give up a little to gain a lot. These are the types I tend to go with as my choices in speakers for the last couple of pairs.

My question came about after reading so many posts at many different forums (I surf a lot...retired old man) from people asking for speaker advice.

My last pair of small speakers was around 10 years ago (B&W's)...shipping small speakers is not a problem so I should have mentioned that...heck, if you don't like um, sell um.

150-250lb. types which I seem to have an audio fetish for was more in line to my thinking...

Newbee...point taken on the source. After selling my high-end SACD player almost a year ago...I'm still setting here listening to my old Technics Dvd-A10 as a cd source (not because it's GOOD)...can't seem to pull the trigger even though I know cd players are very easy to ship?

I see that you still have the BAT...I recall a post a good while back regarding moving on from that player?

Newbee, Whoops...It may have been CAL transport and cd player I'm thinking about?

Dave

Dave, I've had the BAT for about 7 years and other than getting the transport/laser overhauled at year 5, its been an excellent unit mechanically. As with all things which have tubes, tube selection makes a difference. I've never bought into the upgrades. Too much money for my ears. It throws a huge soundstage and is very detailed, without being at all bright or rolled off. The only thing I have ever found lacking in it, and this is a minor nit, probably more about me that the unit, is that I still prefer my old Cal Alpha DAC for vocal and instrumental sound. A bit more mid-range emphasis which I find pleasant (and a bit more forward in prospective - not in tone). I keep thinking I aught to upgrade, but then I read all of the reviews and user comments about whats available and go back to listening to music on the old stuff. If you can get a newer BAT, or an older one which has had the laser overhauled, they sure are priced right in comparison to the other stuff I'm seeing on the 'Gon.