I’ve not read articles by Lynn Olson, but may thanks to your lead. Years ago, Vance Dickason Loudspeaker Design Cookbook was my go-to speaker reference. (Al Gore had invented the internet yet)
Some go points made above. Speaker design is both fascinating and frustrating. It’s a multi-level puzzle that involves electronics, physics, mechanics, acoustics, aesthetics, music, and a few "icks" we haven’t yet identified. It’s wrought with variables, knowns and unknowns, and many unpleasant design choices - both subjective and objective...."pick your poison" so to speak. There’s a price to paid for every choice, and the speakers have to perform well in a variety of environments, spaces, and shapes with various power and music sources. A stout challenge by just about anyone’s standards. It’s not so difficult to make a speaker work...making it sound like music is another matter, and the plot thickens with price point restrictions. Identifying and reducing the impact on all those variables is key....simple in theory, difficult to effectively execute.
Speaker science has evolved for sure, but there seems to be a reciprocal decline in the art aspect, as designers (understandably) lean on more objective information for better or worse. Listening is a skill that can and should be honed. Data is a great starting point, but I still find value in long term listening to satisfy the human element of the equation, and to overcome day-to-day variables.
