Do You Buy Speakers Without Hearing Them?

My last 2 speaker purchases were without audition; Buchardt Audio S400 MKII, and Clayton Shaw Caladans (which have finally shipped and should be here Wednesday now). Both bought direct from manufacturer without dealer middlemen.

The Buchardts turned out to be a home run for $2,000 two way bookshelf, and here's hoping the Caladans are as well. I definitely bought those on Clayton's reputation alone, and an extremely attractive price point.

It all comes down to IQ level of the engineer...

If it's a high IQ engineer behind the speakers, for example,

Andrew Jones 

Michael Borresen

Shinji Tarutani et al

Yoshiyuki Kaku

Greg Timbers

Peter Comeau

Masahiro Tobise

Akira Nakamura,

etc

you can buy it without hearing it...if these kinda guys were given a enough of a budget to work with it.

On the other hand, If a low IQ dude is designing your speakers...yeah, it's imperative that you hear it and decide if you wanna run away (as fast as you can) or not...In general, you can throw all kinds of cash on a low IQ engineer and he'll still come up with crap because cash never created aptitude/brain cells.

I do, I bought a pair of Revel 228be (in fairness I head the 328be before buying) and JBL 4367 unheard. Both have been exceptional. I also listen to anything I can. Locally I have access to the Kef Blade, Revel Salon 2, 802D4, Sonus Faber Olympica, Martin Logan, magnepan, entire Klispch line, etc. This I all in suburbia mid west. The only dealer that is now a bit of a drive for me is wilson audio.

When it is all said and done I am glad I went with the unheard JBLs as I think they are a step above these other speakers in key areas (dynamics, tonal balanced, as detailed as anything). So don’t be scared to trust measurements if you understand how to read them. Estimated in room measurements are the key. 

Crutchfield and others offer returns my guess have to pay shipping .I do buy a lot of opene box that people must not have liked.other dealers offer same thing wish Mac did that more for people like me in small area.the music room did that but must have had a taken advantage of because now charge 10% return.

Not never.... but rarely.  If I'm familiar with the brand and they are utility speakers, then yes.  My current surround speakers for instance.  I wouldn't do this for main L and R.