the big one: how do you choose speakers? By what features, data?

No expert here. The most significant speaker criteria for me would be dynamics, dynamic contrast, and low distortion. As a HiFi enthusiast the speaker specifications I look at are:

1) power linearity:

2) efficiency:

3) dispersion:

4) directivity:

5) nominal impedance and minimum impedance:

6) low frequency response:

7) sensitivity:

Mike

@grislybutter,

Thank you for the kind words!

Mike

@larryi Wrote:

I’ve heard horn systems work well in small rooms; they should not be ruled out for any situation. Also many horn systems are really at their best playing softly—they deliver a lively sound at lower volume than other types of speakers.

I agree! 😎

Mike

@dynamiclinearity Wrote:

By dynamic linearity(my handle) which is NOT playing loud cleanly although that's a small part of it. It's accurate, non-compressed level changes whether they are micro changes or macro changes. It's what makes live music sound live. Think of it you can tell live sound even outside a room so it's not the standard ideas such as flat response which is lost out of the room. And change a seat in a live concert and the response changes in different locations but the dynamic linearity doesn't. I think of wide bandwidth speakers that always sound sweet and smooth as wide bandwidth radios but not as accurate reproduction. And all the other stuff like flat response and low distortion matter but they are secondary.

My sentiment exactly! In my speaker journey I discovered the specifications to look at that might help define the criteria above. Power linearity, directivity, dispersion and true efficiency, if you can find a speaker manufacturer that will publish said specifications. FWIW, my present speakers are actively biamped hybrid horns. 😎

Mike