In the real world, I’m a marketing guy, As a partner in a regional shop that has prospered through all the changes in delivering marketing communications over the last 37 years, our team knows one thing for sure....perception is reality. The entire process of branding, clarifying the difference between features and benefits and various calls to action is based on encouraging consumer choice. The process is elegantly simple "Why chose to spend my time or money, or both, on a specific product or service?"
Regardless of the technological differences between speaker designs and specs, it all comes down to listening. Many of smartest people in the hifi industry agree that the single most important link in the audio chain is the loudspeaker. It creates the sound wave you hear, right?
Just IMO, but it’s obvious that there is no perfect speaker, just like there’s no perfect microphone, perfect recording or perfect electrical amplification chain. The best speaker for any individual is the one that makes the sounds they want to hear. That reality is colored by everything involved including the sonic characteristics of a speaker and the colored reality of listener’s preferences.
To be honest, this really is a trolling question in the face of a wave of "heritage speaker" popularity. The current sales demand for attractive looking throwback big baffle speakers now being produced by the likes of Harbeth, Mission, JBL, KLH and Wharfedale is unassailable testimony that these two and three way wooden boxes are perceived by a wide range of stereo buyers to be pleasant, musical, well priced and a nice match for Mid Century Modern home decor.
Are they super transparent? No. Are they the best imaging speakers out there? No. Do they require a narrow range of amp styles and power to be enjoyed? No. Are they successful popular products? You bet.
Which brings us all the way around. Perception IS reality. Big box speakers are not only OK, they are all the rage around the world for a significant segment of hifi listeners. If only those among us with Golden Ears are buying, the home audio business would die, so I’m rooting for wooden box speakers to rock on.
Signed,
Happy Wharfedale Linton Heritage owner with some old 1980s pro audio amps :)
Why are there so many wooden box speakers out there?
I understand that wood is cheap and a box is easier to make than a sphere but when the speaker companies charge tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars for their speakers, shouldnt consumers expect more than just a typical box? Are consumers being duped?
Back in the 70’s a speaker engineer found that a sphere was best for a speaker. A square box was the worst and a rectangular box was marginally better.
The speaker engineers have surely known about this research so why has it been ignored?
Cabasse is the only company doing spheres. Should wooden boxes be made illegal
- ...
- 183 posts total
- 183 posts total