Affordable vs. ultra expensive speakers - what's the difference?

Currently I DIY my speakers....not the ’box’, the driver itself.
As is said: Priceless.

@asvjerry - I’m guessing you’ve gone straight from internal speaker wire to the tinsel leads for the motor? I have been told that Bybee clarifiers that magnetically attach to the magnets can do some pretty great things too.
I’ve personally tried Bybee bullets with one end clamped and soldered on the tinsel leads and my ribbon internal wire on the other end for bass drivers.
My tweeters however, the terminals disappear into the motor housing - I am not fighting that fight.
You’ve tried blu-tack as a gasket ?
I love it, until I try to remove the driver Then it’s all #$%&#@**. I’d like to read more of your experimentation mate.

BTW - none of the above would have been revealed by measurements. In all cases, the speakers were essentially full range and measure well.

@mgrif104
I am very confident that if you had the time, the right tools, and simply had to know how specific things like: cabinet resonances, energy dissipation of the cabinets, the measured frequency responses of each driver relating to the crossover points, anti-phase measurements of the crossover interaction with drivers, the measurable noise introduced by electrical components in the crossover circuit including PCB and inductor placement.. (please don’t try to read this out aloud) all affecting the performance of the voicing of the loudspeakers in question, you could measure differences.

What I’m trying to say is, there are honestly really measurable and quantifiable reasons, when taken as a whole, that can be used to indicate why one pair of loudspeakers are more convincing in reproduction of music than another.

I do not say this to offend you, but to inform you that real engineering differences between the designs and materials are the reason for the sonic differences, and that these differences with current technologies, are in fact measurable.
Knowledge is used to create better sounding equipment, I’m convinced of this.

Giving some thought ( I Really 'Do' that, if only for the shock value ), one can compare speaker 'valuation' contrasted to violins...

A 'student' vs. a Strad.  And then there's everything in between. ;)

Now, taking into consideration... the Listener.

Last, but certainly, not the least....

The Operator, bow in hand.

Obviously, the student could torture you with a Strad.

And the talented could make an 'entry level' instrument sing.

(Granted, the latter might still sound like it was made with scraps, but it would be as good as one could experience....😏 )

I've always considered loudspeaker to each have their own 'voicing'....not an unusual approach to be sure.  We all have our tastes, preferences, and of course, budget as to the 'company we keep' to recreate a performance of some sort.

The latter applied to speakers that perform to the levels of that which supplies the copy of the performance played has it's own synergy.  And then there's the room.

...unless bought for the 'brag' of it all.  Then you're weirder than me. *L*

@rixthetrick  Nice of you to consider me a surgeon of sorts....*G*

There are moments when a prehensile tail would be really handy.  Understand why the species gave them up, but certainly they may have gotten one in trouble vs. useful in the day2day...

No, more the 'Butcher of Cones', a Visigoth Vandal, a Walsh Wastrel.
( I kinda like the 'barbarian' tone of it all....Frank N. Stein ain't got nuthin' on me...)

First attempted in the early '00's, a diversion from The Great Pursuit

Over time, it's actually been more fun overall. *S*

'BluTack'?  No, but thanks for the 'heads up' to not try.... ;)

More interested in a means to invert the basket....and of course, some baskets need not apply.

At that juncture, one goes mfr. hunting,

Or buys a lot of stuff...*L*

Jerry, fantastic gal with strad and bow in hand …has same speakers as me, yowsa…you win a prize !

good on ya

jim

I purchased a pair of JBL M2 along with 2 Crown Itech 5000HD amps, and placed them in a large dedicated acoustically treated room.  Got everything on discount at Guitar Center for $13,500 to which I later added the JBL Sub18 and another Crown Itech 5000HD amp.  So cheap.   Sounds better than my Salon 2/Classe/DCS  in another system  I own, and competitive with Vandersteen and Wilsons auditioned at local dealer.  The dynamic range and imaging is staggering.  Not necessary to spend big bucks to achieve state of the art.  Carefully place accurate well measured speakers in a large dedicated room with sensible treatment, give them tons of power, and supply them with a well mastered source and you are done.