Are advances in technology making speakers better?

@jumia I'll share my story and hope this helps. 23+ years ago when I got into the higher end I auditioned, bought, sold many different speakers for my HT/Audio system (PSB, Definitve Tech, Paradigm, B&W). Once I was introduced to Dynaudio Audience (their entry line back then) I was absolutely blown away by their sound. I had no idea music could ever sound that good. I was done my journey was finally over (ironically the Dynaudio's replaced my B&W CDM NT's which at that time were the best I had heard). After long periods of listening, I found the B&W's to be a bit too bright for my liking. That's when a fellow enthusiast suggested Dynaudio. As soon as I heard that sweet, warm Dynaudio sound I was instantly hooked!

Well after a divorce forced me to sell my house and my rig I was out of the hobby for a very long time. A few years ago, I was back in a situation that allowed me to build a new system and get back in the "game" if you will. So, no auditioning right to Dynaudio Excite (their second level up). Got my new system up and running and expecting to pick up right where I left off 20 years ago. Except my hopes were even higher with the advanced technologies, the next level up in their line, my expectations were extremely high. Now although the sound was amazing, it wasn't quite what I remembered. I found the Excites to be a bit on the brighter side. What the hell happened to that warm sound of Dynaudio? I was a bit let down. Something was missing, something was different when did Dynaudio become more bright leaning than warm? Maybe it was my ears (and maybe it is as I am a lot older now and I've put some hard miles on my ears😬) but I just could not escape that this wasn't what I remembered. So once the Evoke line came out I had heard such great things and went and auditioned. Found they were definitely closer to that Dynaudio sound I remembered back in the day. I also listened to some others this time like Sonus Faber, B&W, Focal. Still found the Danes to be more to my liking. I sold the Excite's and went with Evoke. Though it's definitely closer to what I remember nothing to date has been able to match the magic of the Audience line. I'm very happy and content don't get me wrong, but to date I have not been able to find anything that reaches that very high bar that Audience set...

Point is newer, bigger, more expensive, more advanced, does not mean better. I'd trade what I have now for those Audience 82's, 122C, and 52's in a second...I have not found anything that makes me feel like I did when listening to my Dynaudio Audience. You know the old saying "They just don't make things like they used to"? I'm thinking you can certainly apply that to audio...

Hope this helps my friend....

I probably missed it above since this is a really long string, but the open baffle speaker is a technology that’s now getting a lot of focus from a few really good designers.  Steve Guttenberg, New Record Day and Thomas and Stereo on YouTube have reviewed some notable ones.

 I switched to open baffle for both my tower speakers and subwoofer about a year ago and it’s stunningly good.  Both GR-Research kits.

The theory is that the lack of back pressure in the cabinet allows the drivers to react faster without overshooting.

Everyone who has heard mine want them.

My Lotus Alon (2004) are open baffle tweeter and midrange with enclosed woofer and my Decware/ Caintuck Lii 15 in. open baffle speakers are "different sounding" ...I wouldn't say the sound better that my Tecktons or Klipsch Heresy IV's....just different....Which speakers are hooked up most of the time....Not the open baffle speakers.....they just lack something in the "Heft" department.

I had an older set of BMW 804s, my ex stereo shop repaired them with not matching or original parts. Hopefully not because they didn't care but due to age had to use what was available. Shop for new speakers that give your ears what they need

Difficult question.

They probably are better generally all things being equal, but the difference might not be as much as you're being told.

My Tannoy Berkeley's were built in 1978 and I'd say they still outperform 90% of speakers built today. But they were a fairly high end design back in the 1970s.

On the other I had a pair of Heybrook HB1s back in the late 1980s and I doubt whether the £170 cost back then would amount to more than £500 today.

What I don't doubt is that the HB1s would hold their own against anything this side of £500 today.

Of course both those speakers were pretty special for their time and no doubt there was a lot of crud back then too.

So perhaps it's fairer to say, mainly because of advances in measurements and testing, that there's just a lot less rubbish out there today?

If I was you, I wouldn't bother with any supposedly incremental upgrade.

When the time comes you might want to look at something that promises a serious undeniable improvement. Depending upon what you have already it could be something from B&Ws own speaker lineup or a different brand.

@jnovak 

The next time you're at a hi fi show walk past a pair of $100.000.00 speakers and have yourself a little chuckle.

Quite true.

But preferably not in front of its designer if you can help it.