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Is it really possible to compare A/B speakers??

This post is directed to the more technical members of A'gon.

I've been reading numerous posts and audio reviews which compared various brands and models of speakers against each other. For example, in one thread a member said he was sure speaker A sounded all-around better then speaker B because when the two speakers were compared at a dealer's shop, they were in the same sound room, driven by the same equipment, same source material, and so forth. For discusion purposes, let's just accept that all relevant conditions were the same.

Here's my question. Even if all relevant variable factors were controlled and the same, can one still fairly say they "A/B'ed" two speakers??

And here's the basis for my question. As I have been reading and trying to understand the science and technology behind what drives input signal to speaker output, I have come to appreciate that there are many other variables that can affect what comes out as sound.

For example, every speaker on the market has it's own electronic fingerprint so to speak that can affect how it interacts with the amp being used, e.g., efficiency, impedance, phase angle, and so forth -- all of which changes over the frequency range. I'm not even touching on home room acoustics.

Another case in point, one member (M-1) commented that a certain speaker (A) he listened to at a dealer sounded hot and caused hearing fatigue as compared to another speaker (B). He fairly concluded that speaker B was the better sounding speaker.

Interestingly, another member (M-2) questioned how M-1 could come to such a conclusion. His experience was totally opposite.

I don't recall that either member mentioned the type of equipment that was being used. However, M-1 was certain that the dealer listening conditions were identical.

Many of the more technical A'gon members have posted numerous threads about the synergy or lack thereof between tube amps and solid state amps with varioius types of speakers that present certain loads to the amp.

If such is the case, then I'm back to my origianl Q. Is it really possible to compare (A/B) speakers even if conditions and variables are identical??

If the answer (or consensus) is "NO," then how can one in the market for new speakers make an intelligent and informed decision?
bifwynne
newbee
4,767 posts
 
First, I concur with Almarg's observations.

Re your last sentence, I don't believe you can make an 'intelligent and informed' (as I interpert that phrase) decision based on the best A/B demo set up in a store. You can only do this in the room you are going to use the speakers. Speakers interact in a serious way with their environment.

An in-home A/B listening would be done with long sessions with each speaker, not by just quick switching (a process which I believe masks more problems than it will ever reveal) using reference materiel and hardware with which you are very familar.

But that doesn't mean that store A/B comparisons are without value. IMHO, you can do A/B comparisons of speakers with less than perfectly 'matched' ancillaries but you will only be able to draw gross conclusions as to the absolute value of either speaker. Apart from obvious tonal differences, which are easily observable, a lot of the ultimately critical subtlies involved in speaker performance can easily be overlooked. They more often than not can only be discerned in long term listening sessions in a familar environment with familar equipment.

So if you conclude the store A/B demo's are really only very general guidelines as to speakers potential, as I do, and as I think the merchants intend, then I think they are of some, if limited value.
polk432
1,142 posts
 
Speaker A on the left speaker B on the right. Then try to compare both sets.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,235 posts
 
Not a well phrased question. As asked the answer is YES. There are variables and these variables can be accounted for. But what I really think you're asking is when people post that they heard this speaker or that speaker and like one over the the other, are they taking into account the numerous variables involved? You would have to make that determination case by case.
bifwynne OP
2,206 posts
 
Onhwy61, I think you are on the same page as me and Al. I am dubious that Polk's solution solves the underlying inherent problem of compatibility and synergy between the speaker and the amp and other gear. Al's thought may be the most practical -- to focus on cases where the compatibility and synergy between the speaker and electronics is "out of the box" a poor match. Perhaps a call to the amp or speaker manufacturer is a possibility.
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