@erik_squires --
I’m wondering, have you ever heard really bad treble at a dealer, but then you hear the speakers elsewhere and they seem fine?
While dealer demos can be less than satisfactory in a number of sonic parameters the real problem to my ears is that a lot of speakers are simply tilted up or otherwise subjectively "trebly" in the upper frequency range; whether dealer demo or home ditto, it doesn’t make a difference. Maybe the predominant reason for this tendency - again, at least to my ears - has less to do with the treble itself and more with the overall tonality or frequency/energy balance of a speaker in the lower registers, and the midrange. Most speakers seem to lack fullness and presence in the upper bass and lower mids, and oftentimes this is also coupled with a slightly recessed central midrange. When the "fundamental tone" and central midrange "walk hand-in-hand" this way the sonic balance can err on the side of being a bit laid-back while sounding slightly thin or even malnourished. This aids the illusion of depth, and highlights spaciousness and detail reproduction in the upper frequencies in particular (unnaturally, I find), and is perhaps the overall recipe for a much lauded "hifi"-sound. Compared to a live acoustic performance however I find this deviates from an authentic presentation; there’s a lack density, natural warmth, presence and tonal richness, and typically also scale and ease.
Interestingly the lowest bass, certainly down to about 20Hz, and when reproduced with proper force and presence can impact the upper frequencies in lending them more substance.
