Bill_Powel
You say that "there is a very clear way to define which loudspeaker is superior and this is not subjective at all. The superior speaker is the one that sounds closer to live music."
That is much easier said than done.
Comparing a piano recording to a piano in your home is like comparing apples to oranges. First of all, you have the equipment (excluding the speakers) which factors into the sound. Second, the recording of the piano you are hearing is using a different piano as well as a different recording environment. Factor in varied recording techniques, microphones, recording equipment, CD or LP pressings, etc. which results in a very wide variance of sound.
Keep in mind that sitting in different locations in even the finest concert halls will yield very different sonic results. For example, sitting in the boxes in Carnegie Hall sounds like speakers playing with the tweeters turned way down (somewhat dull and lifeless). There is a far better sense of life and a far better sound overall sitting towards the front of the orchestra. Factor in going to a jazz club with less than optimal sound reinforcement. All this can lead to a more pleasing sound generated by your system as compared to live, minus the immediacy and raw power of the live performance.
The bottom line is that it will come down to your PERCEPTION of how you speakers/system performs as compared to the live event.
You say that "there is a very clear way to define which loudspeaker is superior and this is not subjective at all. The superior speaker is the one that sounds closer to live music."
That is much easier said than done.
Comparing a piano recording to a piano in your home is like comparing apples to oranges. First of all, you have the equipment (excluding the speakers) which factors into the sound. Second, the recording of the piano you are hearing is using a different piano as well as a different recording environment. Factor in varied recording techniques, microphones, recording equipment, CD or LP pressings, etc. which results in a very wide variance of sound.
Keep in mind that sitting in different locations in even the finest concert halls will yield very different sonic results. For example, sitting in the boxes in Carnegie Hall sounds like speakers playing with the tweeters turned way down (somewhat dull and lifeless). There is a far better sense of life and a far better sound overall sitting towards the front of the orchestra. Factor in going to a jazz club with less than optimal sound reinforcement. All this can lead to a more pleasing sound generated by your system as compared to live, minus the immediacy and raw power of the live performance.
The bottom line is that it will come down to your PERCEPTION of how you speakers/system performs as compared to the live event.