Would you buy speakers with out first listening ?

Yes, when the price is right. Out of the 5 sets of speakers in my house, I could sell all of them for more then I paid.

When the price is right I don't see the harm.

BW Maxx

Yes I would, and I have. I bought my Green Mountain Europas on the back of recommendations from former owners of Spica speakers, which I used to own.

I would never buy based on magazine review, but I think a review from someone who can reference versus a speaker I already know very well is a safe bet.

And the GMA Europas worked out fine.

I bought my Europas based on recommendations from Audiogon. And have never looked back!

i bought my gershman avant garde's unheard. i read every single opinion, review, and blurb i could. there was no dealer anywhere near me, but they sounded like the would fit the bill. i auditioned martin logan, soliloquy, revel, thiel, nht, and a few others before taking the chance on the gershmans. i am so glad i did. they lived up to their reputation and then some in my opinion.

I've done it once. Never, never, never again. Both professional and user reviews can be misleading, inaccurate, and incomplete. Professional reviews require reading very, very carefully, paying close attention to subtle clues and passing phrases that will illuminate weaknesses that they may be trying to gloss over. Some reviewers haven't thoroughly auditioned the speakers, and some user are most likely half deaf. After spending a year reading, researching, and listening, I've found that nothing substitutes for listening, and listening more than once with a set selection of your own CDs or LPs that you know intimately. Check the speakers with a test CD, sinewaves, acoustic music, and vocals. And nothing reveals a speaker's abilities better than solo piano and full orchestra. Solo piano for its ability to reveal distortion and realism; the sound of a piano is well known to our ears and most speakers alter a piano's sound in some clearly audible way. Orchestra, because the complexity and range, will show just how well a pair of speakers can resolve detail and their overall balance. Most rock and pop recordings are so over processed they will never tell you anything. Close your eyes and listen.