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Should a reference speaker be neutral, or just great sounding?

I was thinking about something as I was typing about how I've observed a magazine behave, and it occurred to me that I have a personal bias not everyone may agree to.  Here's what I think:
"To call a speaker a reference product it should at the very least be objectively neutral."

However, as that magazine points out, many great speakers are idiosyncratic ideas about what music should sound like in the home, regardless of being tonally neutral.

Do you agree?  If a speaker is a "reference" product, do you expect it to be neutral, or do you think it has to perform exceptionally well, but not necessarily this way?
erik_squires

Showing 1 response by richopp

richopp
760 posts
 
If you set up Magneplaners correctly, they reproduce what you send them.

If that is your idea of "reference" then so be it.

Try playing a musical instrument live--a piano, possibly, as they are somewhat difficult to record--and then play the recorded version.

If you don't hear any difference, either your ears are not trained or you have a pretty good system, I would say.

That's what Maggies do if your system is not weak in some area.

Try it and see for yourself, of course.  Don't take anyone's word for anything.

Cheers!
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