"I've learned that hearing is a complex sense."
I've recently learned (YouTube?) that there are something like a hundred nerves coming from your brain to your ears and one going from your ears to your brain (!). This means that your hearing is not a passive function but is "shaped" by your current situation/needs. When you are auditioning speakers, your mind tries to "predict" how you will respond to the speakers in your home situation. Also, your mind tries to compare the new speakers to your current ones. Lots of stuff going on simultaneously.
I've recently learned (YouTube?) that there are something like a hundred nerves coming from your brain to your ears and one going from your ears to your brain (!). This means that your hearing is not a passive function but is "shaped" by your current situation/needs. When you are auditioning speakers, your mind tries to "predict" how you will respond to the speakers in your home situation. Also, your mind tries to compare the new speakers to your current ones. Lots of stuff going on simultaneously.