Which speakers did you find bright, fatiguing or just disappointing in some way?

Sometimes its not the speaker but the combination of the speaker/amp and room that causes such brightness.

Also, many people find horn speakers too bright, but, in actuality, they may be driven by the wrong electronics or, better yet, they are right and what you have been listening to previously was wrong.  I've heard some excellent horn speakers.

it may sound good to your ears, but, may not be correct.  I can't tell you how many speakers I've heard where the bass was way over the top and people were sitting there enjoying it.  no way was it recorded that way.  But, they had ear to ear grins on.

years ago I heard a McIntosh system, amp/speakers, etc. that literally drove me out of the sound room.  However, I don't believe that they equipment was properly broken in.  

One must be careful taking someone else's word on equipment.  As you can see on this forum, there are many people that are very biased in their opinions of equipment.  And worst, they haven't even heard the equipment you are talking about.  

Go to audio shows (when Covid is over) and listen.  I've been to many and read reviews from others that claim that the particular system sounded like crap.  I was in the same room and in my opinion, the system sounded quite good.  you have to hear and see for yourself.  

enjoy

minorl,
You are so right!

ozzy

Klipsch without a doubt. If you want to listen to glass shattering then they are the speakers for you. Anything else and they are too shrill.

the kef ls50s disappointed because they were not transparent enough, they sounded like midbass and treble but still very good.  

my psb towers were neutral, unrefined and forward to a fatiguing fault but at the same time had too much bass.  

the spendor D7 were overall awesome but ultimately too much midrange even though it was clean sounding and not enough midbass.  

It just occurred to me that most people who dis B&W's (800 series) have only heard them on the terrible ROTEL equipment at Best Buy.  I agree that they are overpriced, but what isn't?  If you want to hear what B&W can do, go to am audio expo and listed to the actual Nautilus, with its four stereo amps of 350 wpc.  I know people who spent more and got less, even with only one amp.  Check out a google search of  Lucas Sound's demo system, with a whole bunch of diamond 800 speakers.  Even this system costs less than a lot of folks pay.