I appreciate your time here, we won't ever agree but you have explained your process in detail and that is more than most would do. But I have a question about the quote above. You added you listen to loudspeakers "and equalization", can you explain that please. I'm assuming you equalize the loudspeaker for your listening session? Is that right?
Thank you. Answering your question, I use equalization as an investigation to see if the frequency response errors correspond to what I hear. Say there is a resonance at 1200 Hz. I pull that down with a filter. One of two things happen: it improves fidelity or it does not. If it is the former, then we know the objective measurements match subjective experience. And that the impairment is indeed audible. If on the other hand, the difference is not audible, or varies from track to track, then I declare it such.
One positive side-effect is that others with the same speaker can apply that EQ and see if it improves their listening experience. Majority of the time this is the case. Other times, it is not as clear cut which is fine.