Should Speaker Manufactures provide a Frequency Response Graph?

We in this hobby are Audio Application Sound Specialists, or AASS‘s for short.  We do not design speakers, amps, DACs, cables or turntables.  We design audio systems.  Therefore, what matters most to us are the basic interface specifications of each component.  For example, for a given speaker we need power handling range, frequency response range, efficiency, impedance curve, ported/unported, size, and weight.  And finally the looks for those who don’t listen in the dark.  For more advanced work the Q factor might be beneficial to know.  Nothing in the design/development specs is going to give us much of a clue as to how the speaker sounds or images in our room along with our ancillary equipment and cables.  The speaker designer and builder is doing his best to make a product that looks pleasing, plays well with various amps and is reliable all while meeting a price point.  I have been known to blow a tweeter or two in my day.

What an AASS. Nice to know there's a term that describes me too. 😄

@seanheis1 -- "Eric is a special case in that it has become a pubic dispute..."

Umm... if you had bothered to check out how this whole thing started, it was self-induced by Eric. The original ASR review, which was said the speaker was so-so rather than "bad", was in October 2023 and commenting (with no Eric yet) was over with in a few weeks. It sat dormant until February when Eric decided to get on his high horse and accuse ASR of publishing a false review. Then he threatened litigation. HE made it an issue with his accusations and threats.

(BTW, on a similar note, Bose sued Consumers Reports for a bad review in 1970. The case went all the way to the US Supreme Court, Bose lost.)

It would have been far smarter for Eric to wear the ASR review as a badge of honor. No product is going to appeal to every segment of the market and plenty of people -- as illustrated in this and other threads -- don’t care for ASR’s opinion. There are plenty of buyers for the "I’m interested in how it sounds, not how it measures" products. Eric’s own behavior has likely chased away many of those potential buyers.

Plenty of small boutique audio products do just fine in spite of less than glowing ASR reviews. But, they don’t threaten litigation.

@mlsstl I am fully aware of the dispute...and I didn't feel the need to weigh in on Eric's behavior...that drama doesn't interest me. 

Both times you have called my @ handle, you are assuming things I didn't say...I believe this is called the "straw man fallacy." Or possibly a reading comprehension issue? You also were impolite so back at you ;-)  

@seanheis1 -- I was reacting to your specific comment in the original post that a review was done "without his [Eric's] permission".  I thought it very odd to strongly imply that a product manufacturer's "permission" is needed before anyone is allowed to publicly give their opinion about a product.   Yours was an odd choice of phrase if you meant something else.  Fine by me if that is a "reading comprehension" issue in your mind,

But, this is a public forum so no one should be surprised at the wide variety of comments in response to a topic like this.  Internet forums are not a good choice if one is looking for a safe space.