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Should a reference speaker be neutral, or just great sounding?

I was thinking about something as I was typing about how I've observed a magazine behave, and it occurred to me that I have a personal bias not everyone may agree to.  Here's what I think:
"To call a speaker a reference product it should at the very least be objectively neutral."

However, as that magazine points out, many great speakers are idiosyncratic ideas about what music should sound like in the home, regardless of being tonally neutral.

Do you agree?  If a speaker is a "reference" product, do you expect it to be neutral, or do you think it has to perform exceptionally well, but not necessarily this way?
erik_squires
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rocray's avatar
rocray
1,448 posts
 
Everyone’s “reference” will certainly be different. So many things determine the way we hear. The shape of your head. The size of your head. The shape of your ears. Even the size of your torso affects the way you hear.

Now let’s get into the room you listen in. And the list goes on and on. My reference and yours may be very different. With all these variables, what is neutral? Your neutral,may be tipped up to me. I think,of course,only my opinion,is reference would be what sounds great to your ears. A great topic with many different correct answers.  Now,if a speaker measures flat,do we all hear it the same way? 
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 
One reference I can think of is Greenwich Mean Time.
What single loudspeaker model could aspire to the kind of acceptance that GMT has?
As others say, an individual can establish their own reference if they like, but it pertains only to them.
The rest is advert copywriter gobbledygook.  Along with SE, Signature, etc.
michaelgreenaudio's avatar
michaelgreenaudio
1,019 posts
 

Reference in HEA is fairly generic and weakens the origins of "reference" or "referencing" music, which was started by going from the Live room to the Control room to the Playback room.

I've seen High End Audio try to use musical production terms from the very beginning. Cute but not reality as far as the production of recordings and playing back goes.

As said above, your room is more your reference than your speaker is.

mg

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Thank you. I wasn't going to be the one to point that out but you are right, my room is the reference. Especially now with my modded Moabs.
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