Comparing speakers at home questions


When looking for a new/replacement pair of speakers how do you compare them at home?

I have my current speakers and another pair that I purchased to try out at home in my system. So do you think it’s better to A/B them back to back, like play a song and then switch and play the same song again. Or is it better to listen to one pair for a day, or two, or a week and then switch and listen to those for an extended time? 
I feel like switching between songs gives you an immediate sense of what’s different because you just heard the same song but will listening for longer periods to each speaker allow your ears to adjust to each and give you a better idea of how they will perform long term? Or should I do some of both techniques, quick switches between and longer periods between switching?

mattldm

Showing 3 responses by inna

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.

This is an easy one, in fact. Try to compare tubes when the difference is subtle.

I also once had fun comparing RCA cables that sounded very very similar and very close to each other in my system. Both were absolutely excellent, and the price difference used was $1000.00. Good for me that I needed them both. The more expensive one was a little more neutral and balanced, and the less expensive one was a bit more vivid and colorful, but not colored.

The less expensive cable was Gabriel Gold Infusion 2.

The more expensive one was Wywires Diamond.

I compared with analogue source, both phono stage and cassette deck, from the source to preamp.