daveyf, raising a slew of different questions-
It occurs to me that speaker manufacturer’s and designers in many cases design their speaker ( and its subsequent sound) to the expected ’typical’ buyer.
Yeah well a lot of things happen "in many cases". "In many cases" Sony, Bose, JBL, and other large manufacturers really do design speakers by committee, where you can be sure the marketing department is very well represented. For sure. And yet, "in many cases" Tekton, Audiokinesis, Klipsch, and other small manufacturers build speakers primarily to their own individual requirements and tastes. I mention Klipsch as an example of how "in many cases" what started as a one-man show can grow to Fortune 500 size.
Thus proving beyond a doubt that "in many cases" is a phrase utterly without meaning. In many cases.
IME, a lot of high end speakers are designed to appeal to the consumer who has a certain amount of ’hearing loss’ due to age!
Spoken like a man of inexperience. So what you're saying, the ears are microphones, and the brain is incapable of EQ and requires compensating treble. Interesting point of view. What actually seems to happen is the same processes that lose high end hearing also tend to increase sensitivity to a loud or tipped up top end. In plain English it hurts our sensitive ears. Yeah I said "our". Mine, and a lot of other guys.
Oh, and 30 years ago when I was half my age and active with audiophiles my age or younger? Those guys ALL craved and went ga ga over a hyped tipped-up etched top end. Two I recall had systems totally unlistenable for that very reason.
Its NOT an old guy thing.
There's just as much diversity among the old as among the young. Sign it. Cash it. Spend the money.
My impression is that a certain technology catches on--like the metal dome ( beryllium or titanium, as an example) and the manufacturer sees a certain public acceptance of this technology from the --shall we say-- less abled in the high frequency hearing dept, and the rest is as they say...history. Your thoughts?
My impression is its a combination of factors. Look at any field, you will see the great majority involved at any one time are relatively new and inexperienced. As a very active PCA region driving instructor pretty much every event was 10% first-timers, 80% active 3 years or less, and the last 10% had been around 10-20 years or more.
It was like that when I learned to rock climb with the Mountaineers, Scuba with PADI, criterium with USCF.... and learned to listen with audiophile clubs in the 90's.
Only sorry, I lied. All those other groups, they really did have formal developmental programs. PCA has four for driving alone: Driver Skills, Driver Ed, Autocross, and Tours. Listed in order of emphasis on learning skills. Audiophiles have nothing like this. At least I'm assuming nothing has changed. Based on comments on this forum thats money in the bank as well.
So more than likely its simple listener inexperience. A hyped top end is the easiest way to fake detail. Millions fall for it. To not is practically a badge of honor.
Also never discount monkey see monkey do. Like, in many cases its safe to blame the old rich guy.
