Comparing speakers at home questions

If I were comparing I would pick one and listen to them for several days getting to know how they sound then switch.  In my experience, A/B switching doesn’t work well for me.  Unless the speakers are glaringly different, in which case A/B testing could prove useful, listening for an extended period will make even the subtle differences more apparent imo.  I would also suggest making some sort of playlist that covers the genres of music you like and use that for both extended listening periods.

Play the new speakers first, and they must be burnt in for a few hundred hours before critical listening, for a few minutes. Do you generally like their presentation ? If not - there is nothing to talk about. If you do, start comparing with the old ones. How best to proceed ? Whatever. A combination of quick comparison and extended listening of each pair. Complication might be that you like them both but that they are quite different, and you wouldn't know which ones to choose. Another complication - they might require different electronics and cables to sound best.

What particular speakers are you talking about ?

The best way to compare speakers is by combining A/B testing with extended listening.

A/B testing (quickly switching between speakers using the same song) highlights immediate differences in tonal balance, bass, vocal clarity, and treble sharpnes. It helps pinpoint detail retrieval, imaging, and frequency response.

Longer listening sessions (a day or more) reveal how a speaker feels over time. Some sound exciting at first but become fatiguing, while others grow on you. Testing different genres and volumes helps assess dynamics.

Start with A/B testing for a first impression, then follow up with extended listening to gauge long-term comfort. If possible, have someone switch them blindly to minimize bias. This balanced approach ensures the best choice.

Different speakers have  physical set up differences which have to be considered. Quite often very different. Unless you are time constrained it pays big dividends to spend the time to ensure the speakers are optimally positioned for their best sound. You can't assume that where your old speakers were placed is going to work for other speakers.

Also, long term listening to each speaker with familiar (very!) music is, for me anyway, essential. There are often subtle differences you might not hear, or which are obscured, during short sessions. And, if you find things like brightness or bass boom (or no bass) you've got to figure out if its the speaker, the speakers placement or it's amplifier.

Take your time! :-)