Speaker driver sizes - pros and cons

timlub, you forgot to mention that smaller drivers are usually faster than larger drivers - less mass to push and pull back and forth.

Also, I disagree that small speakers can't reproduce a large orchestral experience.  You just need more than one; active and range limited or passive.

After years of owning, testing and listening to all types and sized of speakers and main drivers from 2"-15", I prefer a single driver (or dual as mentioned above) no larger than 8' and coupled via high level output to a pair of very good subs.  This combo seems to work best for me, but I should also mention that I am driving tube amps ranging from 1Wpc SETS to 50Wpc push-pull.
 

timlub, with all due respect I do not agree for several reasons:
1- Mass is always an issue.  Larger motors do help, but the reaction time also increases; larger motor or not.
2- Mass vs motor: over-driving the cone is typically only a concern with larger speakers.
3- Larger speakers have more issues with wave propagation timing and scattering effect.

I have owned and heard lots of great 12"-15" speakers.  But in the same family, for example, I have never heard a 15" cone driver resolve more midrange and top end information than an 8' version of the same driver.  All things being equal and in the same family.  More bass, yes.  Better response across the entire bandwidth, sometimes yes but no more often than not.

My assertions above assume we are limiting our discussion to dynamic drivers and not compression drivers, correct?