What are some of the most underrated and overrated loudspeakers you’ve auditioned?

YEs, it is a loaded question for sure....

In general, audiophiles will tend to underrate things while the rest of the world will lean the other way.

Underrated

Ohm Walsh, Salk Soundscape 10 and 12 (out of production), JBL M2 (uses DSP and pro amps, but damn), legacy Focus SE, Spatial M3S Turbo

Overrated

Paradigm Persona's, B+W Diamond Series, McIntosh Speakers (though not sure anyone rates them highly), Focal Sopra 2,3

Disappointing - Anything by Zu

Just to play this game....

When I don’t like the sound of a speaker, especially a popular one, I normally don’t think "boy are these overrated." I just note that they are not for me, and can usually see what someone else might find in them.
If I look back I can only really think of two speaker brands that had me thinking "My gawd these suuuuuuuck!"

One was the Talon speakers back when they were the ’it’ thing (circa 2000 I believe). I simply could not believe how bad the models sounded that I heard, how utterly colored they sounded (and they measured as they sounded). I was truly left baffled by the praise for those things.

The other speaker encounter that baffles me every time are the McIntosh Speakers (as noted by dep14). They manage to produce the most bland sound I’ve ever heard from a "high end" speaker. They sound like a bunch of tiny bose-quality drivers giving you a wall of yucky, grayish, cheap, gritty sound. Given the reputation of McIntosh, I’m always left puzzled.

Zu has yet to even come close to grabbing me but many like them.   I like the looks.

The Most underrated speaker award goes to Eminent Technology LFT8b’s