If it's not important enough to drive across state lines or go to an audio show, buy what's nearby. Or, build your own criteria to filter results on unheard speakers and buy one.
If it's important enough to you, you will spend some money and time on it. If not, so be it.
gwalt, a 500 mile drive; impressive. You know how to get it done. But, then again, that's a case where the cost of the speaker justifies more investigative costs.
It's though for guys on a budget (I know, I was a lower cost audiophile for many years) with perhaps a couple thousand to spend. Does it merit spending the better part of a grand to shop at a show? That's tough to justify when it could hit the quality of the speaker price point. In such a case - and I did many, many times - I became a detective and scoured for info on the product, then bought unheard. It worked out well 90%+ of the time.
Hear a different technology, i..e horn or panel. Sometimes the positive reaction is so strong to a newly heard technology that it's like the buyer was hooked on crack; it almost doesn't matter the absolute quality, the experience is riveting to them. I have to laugh when proponents of certain speaker technologies make declarations of absolute sound superiority. We're talking some very deluded people there... But, that is often a key to finding the best fit for a speaker.
Anyway, listen carefully; learn your ABC's of speakers first. i.e. what the impact of Impedance and Sensitivity mean to speakers, and what different driver sizes will do. Read my article Audiophile Law: Thou Shalt Not Accept Worthless Specs at Dagogo.com to help you avoid some pitfalls. Less experienced speaker buyers seem to ignore or not interpret correctly such things, and they are determinative of the outcome.
It helps to forget the idea that you are after the "best" or "state of the art" sound. No one sells speakers based on the premise that they will give you average sound; they all claim their speakers will give you miraculous sound. Most won't. Just work to make it pleasing to you.
After the hurricane passes - the Lord willing not taking any more lives! - you may or may not be aware that Bruce Thigpen's Eminent Technology speaker company is in Florida. He puts out one of the most value oriented, truly good sounding hybrid panel speakers this side of Mars. I owned and reviewed them, so read up on them, too. In that situation do not let the lower cost fool you, as they are quite good performers. There is a case where technology could have an edge in your ears' opinion. I have a vintage set of LFT VI in my office with a pair of HSU Subs. Not pushing the boundaries, but sufficient.
