Good point that I didn't really think about, that what is revealed in a "revealing" speaker could be more of a focus on certain frequencies as opposed to an overall statement of quality. As a teenager who bought low quality stuff bought in the 70's/80's (but was better than the offerings from department stores like Sears, Montgomery Ward, Korvette's, Two Guys) and just picked up the hobby again a few years, it was easy to buy entry-level equipment today that was way better than what I had hiding in the closet, so everything I bought added some resolution/soundstage/imaging that I never had before. I was less choosy when buying new equipment because I was confident it was going to be better than what I had, and it usually was. The further you go up the quality ladder you start experiencing different flavors as opposed to jumps in quality, but you can perceive an emphasis in certain frequency bands as being "better", if that's the sound you gravitate towards. I initially started preferring equipment with that high-end "sizzle", thinking that was more resolving, revealing, etc. because I heard things emphasized that I never did before. I started noticing my ears were feeling that they were being muffled after a short while (any musician who has had a stage monitor feed back and squeal at them knows the feeling), so I had to back off of the emphasis on the highs and get reacquainted to comfortable listening sessions. Speakers are something you really have to listen to in your own room with your equipment, once you already have quality equipment.
I've rambled enough - I'm boring myself now. One more thought: a lot of the music I listened to in my youth and so loved sounds like unlistenable dreck nowadays: compressed to oblivion, cheesy instrumentation, extreme left/right panning, howling mistakes and such. I pulled out my old copy of "Grand Funk - Live Album", played half a side of Side 4 ("Into the Sun"), and promptly took it back off - just couldn't take it anymore.
I've rambled enough - I'm boring myself now. One more thought: a lot of the music I listened to in my youth and so loved sounds like unlistenable dreck nowadays: compressed to oblivion, cheesy instrumentation, extreme left/right panning, howling mistakes and such. I pulled out my old copy of "Grand Funk - Live Album", played half a side of Side 4 ("Into the Sun"), and promptly took it back off - just couldn't take it anymore.