Importance of Soundstage/Imaging

"Does your system accurately reflect your stated preferences?"

I would say yes.

I have no problem listing timbre as # 1. I tend to prefer "neutral" whatever that means but I am also able to enjoy certain variations from that. I like having multiple speakers running in multiple rooms to enable some variation in timbre mainly. It helps keep my ears trained and tuned to hear differences, even tose that matter less to me.

My large OHM 5s come closest to doing all very well. Others trail somewhat in various areas as I described above.

No can do. They are all important. Doing them all along with coherence in particular can be a challenge. This is where I think the OHM Walsh speakers I tend to prefer excel. They pretty much have it all (when set up well).

I have Dynaudio monitors also. Not quite as coherent but good bass extension for smaller monitors.

I also have Triangle monitors. Excellent coherence! Size is similar to the DYns but bass extension is not as good. They only cost $500 a pair though back in the nineties, a steal.

I also have tiny Realistic Minimus 7s. Even smaller with less bass extension and dynamics, but pretty good all around otherwise.

Each of these have a slightly different timbre. OHMs are most "neutral", perhaps a touch of warmth. Dyns are warmer and can be a touch brighter as well depending on setup. Triangles might be a touch towards the "cold" side. Minimus 7s are somewhere in the realm of the much larger OHMs but with a lot less bass.

" In the 1950s through 60s the big Altec/AR/Tannoy/Klipsch/EV loudspeakers were all about timber and dynamics. I guess it can be argued that imaging/transparency/detail school is an accurate depiction of what audiophile, as opposed to high fidelity, playback has evolved into."

imaging/transparency/detail are all advanced things that have become more achievable over time as technology has improved.

Yes, early on, timbre and dynamics were the key attributes that most gear was judged on solely almost perhaps.

Coherency started to be realized more somewhere in the middle, I believe, perhaps in the late 60s, early seventies with the advent of the OHM A and F, one if not the first very wide range, highly dynamic, single driver, cross-overless designs, based on Lincoln Walsh's work up to that time.

I agree with mezmo that many of these attributes are interdependant on each other. ALl speaker setups have a timbre for example, good or bad, liked or not. ALl the rest are a bit more elusive and happen perhaps more in perceivable degrees, whereas differences between timbres are inherently much more complex. Plus factor in the complex effects of room acoustics and on/off axis listening for example.

Phew!! Its a wonder any of us know a good speaker when we see one although we'll know whether we like it or not more quickly once heard.

Real audiophiles don't use OHM or Bose. :^)

Way too easy.....

I have 3 pair all bought or refurbed in recent years. My fate is sealed. :^)