Only three manufacturers?

Last week I read a review on the Meadowlark BH2's. The reviewer stated one day speakers won't be considered "audiophile" material unless they're time aligned and phase coherent. That may or may not be the case as only time can tell, but I've talked to (Roy Johnson- GMA) and read enough material on this subject to believe in the physics that support the theory.

I have two fundamental concerns with this theory.

1. Room environment - most people do not have a dedicated listening rooms that can take full advantage of this design. If I understand the principle correctly, this design is especially sensitive to room configurations and furniture arrangement. Place a coffee table, chair or couch near the pathway of its soundwave and time alignment goes out the window. From what I can tell - triangulation is the name of this game. In other words, the specific relationship between the positioning of ones ears to the placement/position of the drivers. By the same token, I think most speaker designs will be adversely affected by furniture and other room treatment peculiarities, so this is not unique.
2. Small sweet spot - Gallos and MBL's these are not.

And then again... I could be totally wrong, which won't be the first.

Just when Playboy is becoming more and more irrelevant and selling fewer copies, they start talking about real hi-fi. But even with their "deminished capacity" they sell a hell of alot more copies than S'phile and A' Sound combined. So maybe some day high end will become more mainstream? Don't hold your breath.

By the way I've heard quite a few Vandys and Thiels and they could not be at much more of two ends of an axis.

Somebody needs to tell Playboy that they're analog set up that they showed isn't likely to work too good without a *phono cartridge*.

I am suprised a magazine such as the Playboy knows let alone recomments brands like these that are not that well known outside the audiophile's circles .Imagine if they talked about BOSE being the best.Never take reviews seriously,I trust my ears .
George

Great responses here and though I am a devoted Thiel fan and owner (CS6s), I also compose and record music in a home studio environment. I have asked Jim Thiel about this too: Hey folks, it matters not a rat's *ss if the production of the recording itself was MONITORED and MIXED on non-time coherent, non-phase coherent MONITORS. Just think, if the engineer is mixing and mastering so as to eliminate or reduce phase shift cancellations by ear, well if the speakers being used to actually do this don't have those features, then how the heck is the MUSIC ever gonna be time and phase correct IN THE RECORDING AND HENCE THE PLAYBACK up to the point of coming out of our speakers????

Jim/Shari/Kathy at Thiel couldn't even tell me studios they know that use phase and time coherent designs to PRODUCE music, so go figure.

My point here is that unless all music is recorded, monitored and mixed on phase and time coherent designs, then we will never benefit from what such designs can deliver.

It's just one of those situations in life that makes me think so much of our energy in listening and enjoyment just gets so bogged down in chit chat (even though it's fun once in a while!)