How to meaningfully audition speakers??

Frog,

Thanks for pointing out the value of listening to all kinds of live music in all kinds of venues as a means of establishing a reference for what music can and does sound like.

I realized after posting that I missed that important aspect of "establishing a reference", which is the most important first step. Without a reference to shoot for, you cannot POSSIBLY hit the target.

Live music even more so than hifi will demonstrate how different things can sound based on things like venue, acoustics, sound mix, listening position relative to performance, etc.

IT really helps set some useful reference points. Then you also realize how different each event sounds and all that goes into that.

Also, and most importantly, you will gain an understanding of what different events that sound good have in common. That provides the reference information needed to now attempt to achieve similar results at home, where quality and nature of sound will also vary based on room acoustics, gear assembled starting with speakers, listening position and most importantly, recording to recording.

When you get to a point where it does not matter much what recording you play because most all recordings in good condition sounds good (not always perfect but engaging in a different way each time), that is probably where one seeking the "ultimate sound" wants to find themselves. You'll know when you have to pry yourself away from listening, rather than the sound chasing you away prematurely.

It may take some time but does not have to cost a fortune in many cases, at least in the end, if done one step at a time, starting with the right speakers for your unique room and budget, and not too many dead end roads gone down in the process as a result of just trying to throw money at the problem.

I listen to live music as a sound mixer (and as merely another unimportant little audience member) often, and play live music every day as a musician and pretend "bon vivant." I beg to differ about this "live music" requirement for home audio "reference" as I think the home is so absolutely different than any venue (except my home which has been used as a venue for "house concerts"....but still), it's sort of a meaningless thing...unless the hapless speaker shopper has NEVER heard music, in which case there are other, more personal issues at hand (the need to get out more, deafness, a mental disorder that renders the victim "opinionless"). You could do this: If you want to see what a piano really sounds like, go to a Steinway dealer and have them hold you over the open piano with your head facing down onto the sound board while somebody plays the thing, and afterwards put earplugs in and hurry over to a High End dealer and plunk in front of speakers (remember to remove the earplugs). This won't work, but it could be fun. I still think my "living room replicating Winnabago" idea is the way to go, or simply read reviews, listen to speakers someplace, go to Carnegie Hall when the strike ends if only to support live stuff, buy something and if it sucks sell it and get something else. See? All better now.

Wolf, for example, in recent years I have attended live events at Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, Rams HEad live in Annapolis Maryland, and Fedex field in DC all of which had excellent sound that I found to be useful as a reference myself. Also the occasional local band in a nearby unknown pub.

I am a paying customer only, so I only get to do it a few times a year, not on a regular basis. I suspect that there is overkill at some point in terms of how often listening to live music is actually useful as an ear training experience, but I think it is up until the point where the ears become well trained already as a result.

Also lots of events mostly in other venues that were more examples of bad rather than good sound.

All these experiences have helped me to be able to recognize what good sound is, at least to me, as well as bad. All useful training for my ears.

Indeed, but what about my Winebago idea?

"Indeed, but what about my Winebago idea?"

Way to think "out of the box" !! I like it.