the big one: how do you choose speakers? By what features, data?

@grislybutter There are rules and then there are some. Some prefer brand names and some prefer particular designs (ported versus non, first order crossovers versus other, two-way versus three way, floor standing versus monitors, high efficient versus hard-to-drive, etc). Irrespective of what you choose, there are few tests you should try before finalizing your "choice speaker" over the one you currently own.  Not in the order of importance, but at least you should try to find out::

1. Are these reproducing your favorite male/female singers as accurately as they can?

2. Are you satisfied with how letters "s" and "t" sounds (provide your front-end give an accurate signal)?

3. Listen at very loud volume levels (> 100dB) and then slowly reduce the volume in steps until barely audible. Pay attention to the imaging and sound stage depth. Do they hold same geometry at high and low volume levels? or do the imaging collapse at low volumes?

4. Do they image from outside of the speakers in addition to in-between? Is sound stage depth reproduced satisfactory?

5. Do these reproduce mass strings, brass instruments (muted horn, trombones, etc.) without causing fatigue?

6. Are you happy with reproduction of solo piano? Do they go low enough to hear the lowest key (27 Hz)?

7. Can you sit and listen to these for longer periods without getting fatigued?

8. Most importantly, do these disappear just leaving you with the music? Close your eyes and listen.

If the new speakers are doing a better job in some of these tests, the it  a no-brainer. The come the other important issues including the price, WAF, room size, etc. 

@pwerahera thanks! Great points!

Magic is what I listen for. If you don't hear something that moves you, move on!

I am cheap so I buy everything used. Almost. I did buy a streamer new. Got a deal though. Speakers take time to burn in. Some people sell them before they even know what the have. Are you patient? Join an audio club. Members unload good gear cheaper to other members. Tune in to the weekly zoom meeting and learn.

There are a lot of good speakers. Some will mate better than others with your amp.

Join the SFAF Club. $35/year. Best audio money you can spend. Friday 5pm Pacific is the weekly Happy Hour Zoom. 

@jeffseight 

The problem is I need to narrow down my list before I choose what I listen to.

SF is a bit far, I should look for a local club :)

The old real estate saw "Location,location location" applies to speakers but modify it to "Listen listen listen"

Ad copy and enthusiastic dealers can make you believe that brand X is the best thing since Rod Stewart sang standards at your dinner table. 

For me going out and doing the hard work of auditioning at the store and then at home with my gear in my room with my source makes some surprising conclusions. When you get to the "affordable" 10K speaker range they are all really good furniture, but they don't sound anything alike at your home.

Anecdotal story:  I had a pair of Vienna Acoustics towers that were at my home for a year. Really nice furniture indeed! And super cool see through cones (woohoo). I delivered them to a gearhead buddy and hooked up a pair of bookshelf KLH turds before my new Brystons arrived. What a hoot !  The Best Buy KLHs sounded "almost" as good as the Vienna towers at lower levels (muddy as dirt at a bit higher volume- no surprise there) Point being that price and sound are not directly corollary. 

Anyhoo...go on a listening tour with your most demanding source material then get your 2 favorites home and audition them there with you most demanding source material. No regrets afterward. Just wonderful music!