Blindfold Speaker testing


So if we made a  experiment where a  group of seasoned audiophiles had to choose  which speaker is best over all, 
6 brands all hidden behinda  curtain.
5 top dawgs in the xover box low sens design and 1 of the high sens PS design. How do you think the results will come out?
But we will not tell the group what speakers are behind the curtains, They will have no idea 1 of the speakers is Point Source. 
How do you think the, or lets say which 1 speaker do you think would come out on top?
No lets do this, Lets give the  group a  list of 5 speaker brands, Walsh, Wilson, Tannoy, and 2 others which are very popular, like Joseph with the Seas. 
and 1 more,
The mystery speaker is not listed, so they have no idea what speaker it is.
The ? speaker is the high sens Point Source.
Now Richard Gray hosts this *guess which speaker event* as he is a  master of these types of gimmicks and  has seasoned audiophiles fooled every single time.
Which speaker do you think will make top of the list in results??
I know.
The Mystery Speaker.
Then Richard pulls the curtain and reveals the winner.
 SURPRISEE
Got ya
The Hifi Guy


mozartfan

Showing 2 responses by mijostyn

Voicing implies intent and there is very little intent in that regard. The driver manufacturers are designing to specific parameters. The final loudspeaker system designer may be trying to make the system sound a certain way but in very few instances do the modify the driver. And, in most instances they are not listening to the loudspeaker, they are measuring it. Competent designers know how to juggle measured parameters t make a speaker sound a certain way within the limitations of the design. Full range dynamic drivers have some severe limitations that will keep them from producing the results one can get with a multi driver system. Just a fact of life. This is why manufacturers who are intent on making SOTA loudspeaker do not use full range drivers with the exception of ESLs.
First off, you can't listen to speakers through curtains, second off the speakers will not be optimally positioned. They are very likely to have different requirements. Third of all, speakers have such varying characteristics that it is almost always going to come down to taste. Which varies from one listener to another.

Auditioning speakers is totally up to the individual and it seems most people gravitate to the most, the most high end, the most bass, the most presence, etc. It is unusual for a person who is not a very experienced listener to select a balanced speaker that has exceptional imaging. It is the speaker that attracts the least attention. 

Having said all that rubbish a great loudspeaker system pumped up with a lot of power playing Waiting for Columbus at 95 dB is a special thing to hear.