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When choosing new Speakers, what matters most to you?

When auditioning new speakers have you ever listened to a pair you thought you really liked only to realize you didn’t like them at all after seeing their measurements/specifications? And I’m not talking about speakers that would be too difficult for your electronics to drive but rather, you just didn’t like their waterfall plot, or their frequency response or some other measurement even though subjectively, you loved the way they sounded? Conversely have you ever listened to a pair of speakers you did not care for only to change your mind after seeing their specs?
 

Assuming speakers can be easily driven by your home electronics, in other words, no compatibility issues related to sensitivity or impedance, what is the single most important thing you look for when finding speakers you’ll enjoy listening to? How do you go about confirming the speakers you buy will be enjoyable to listen to in your home system?

128x128ted_denney
wassaicwill
62 posts
 

Close to full range as possible for me, if appropriate for the space. 

Like others have said, check measurements after you audition, then forget about the measurements. The pied pipers of measurements are brain-locked into a reactionary cult that despises personal emotional response to equipment. F em. 

Driving a Camaro once was balls out fun. The drag coefficient vis a vis a Taycan doesn't mean sh*t. 

cd318
2,636 posts
 

A good transient response, good bandwidth (flat to 40Hz at least), excellent timbral quality, pleasing or at least unobtrusive looks, seamless crossover, freedom from sibilance, and good dynamics.

If I'm spending more than £3000, and it certainly looks like I will have to if I'm hoping to get any upgrade from my Tannoy Berkeley's, then an exemplary spec sheet is also a must (esp dispersion/radiation patterns).

Loudspeaker upgrades are notoriously difficult affairs. It would be very easy to go around in circles I'm sure.

 

If I had to chose only one quality, then it would have to be that they don't annoy.

Many loudspeakers I have heard do.

 

dsper
663 posts
 

Hi All,

Good thread although I got confused, more than normal, with the buy American and auto sub-discussions. Entertaining but not necessarily helpful to select speakers🙂!

Comments were made more than once that the speaker needs to fit the room and that specs are important.

How do you review specs and graphs to understand if a speaker will fit in a room?

I believe someone mentioned waterfall graphs and I am not sure what those tell me and if they are part of the "fit the room" discussion?

Looking to learn here, please.

Thanks for listening,

Dsper

 

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