Speaker Technology over the last 10 years

Even if speaker design were to stand still, there are so many designs out there now it would take more than one lifetime to explore them all in your own room. If you could manage to do that, then just change the room and start all over again.

Amen Sarcher.......

The marketplace has changed radically, with fewer multi-national electronic companies dominating the space by offering audiophile components across the equipment spectrum. You rarely see the hold that the Japanese had several decades ago.

In many ways, it is going more the way of a cottage industry, with specific companies offering limited but succinct products by American, Canadian, Danish, and English firms. I think DeVore and Harbeth are in this vein--very focused range of speakers made by small operations.

I see most of the R & D being invested in DAC technology, with very few significant improvements in speaker design.

With that said, I think that price to performance is still available to the end user with limited means--there are wonderful budget oriented speakers in the market at the moment: B & W 685s and DALI Lektors come to mind that offer real world sound for the budget-minded.

The design & component quality of the Crossover and build quality of the Drivers are key. This separates great speakers from the mediocre and is, or should be, the reason why you would want to replace your present speakers. All Drivers, regardless of make, face the same fate: sagging voice-coils which occur after 10-15 years of use. If there is a perceived difference now in how your speakers sound you could have the same Drivers refurbished and approximate the same quality of sound reproduction as when the speakers were new.

There have been some advances in materials. Carbon fiber and Kevlar have been successfully used, for example. Carbon nanotubes are used by a few, although there are other materials that exhibit the same properties. Meanwhile, some who have tried metal dome tweeters have moved away from them.

Cabinet design and construction have evolved as well - they're not just making simple boxes. Crossovers, internal wiring, binding posts and other hardware are given more attention, and rightfully so.