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

what would make you stretch your budget?

rationalization.  Trying to convince myself that when it come to high end audio components regular thoughtful purchasing habits go out the window, then some sort of cost/benefit heavily swayed by fascination that seals the deal.   

I’m not an ”expert”, but I can share my speaker shopping experience.

I’m semi retired so started in-depth researching audio components about 7yrs ago.  I read all the current audio reviews including TAS and Stereophile.  I started demoing the best speakers I can find, then try to duplicate the sound the best I can within my limited budget.  I consistently favored Magico or YG, but my budget limited me to the Nagico A5 or a used S5mk2.  I dream of the M3 maybe someday.

Since this was my first audio chain, I wanted end to end neutrality so I can easily evaluate component upgrades.  So the speaker I was targeting was neutral, linear, but not clinical.  I’m interested In crystalline highs and well defined bass.  At last year’s AXPONA, I demoed with the intent to choose a speaker to purchase.  It came down to the Magico A5 which had better treble clarity, vs Rockport Atrua sounded better balanced but somewhat muffled - show conditions often have poor sonics.  During the show I heard the very highly regarded Vimberg Mino D but when I discovered it had the D “diamond tweeter”, which is a +$10k option, it was priced above my budget.  After AXPONA, I discussed my findings with my dealer who offered to be the intermediary to help me to get the Vimberg speakers.  So after they lowered the price and I raised my budget, I purchased the demo speakers- likely the same green ones advertised in Stereophile/TAS magazines.

My other system is to explore tube midrange magic, so using a flea watt 300b amp to drive my 100db Volti Rival speakers.  I also wanted a neutral, linear speaker but very high sensitivity to run a 4-8 watt amp - choices are slim.

Other speakers that are more musical than neutral/linear are the DeVore Orangutan 0/96 and the Fleetwood Sound DeVille speakers.  Maybe someday. 

Hard to go wrong with the much appraised $3.7 Mofi Sourcepoint 10 by the speaker guru Andrew Jones, but may have to wait for used ones to show up on the market.

Years ago when I auditioned the KEF LS50 I also demoed their R700 which to me sounded similar to the LS50 but with more extension. Perhaps a used R700, R900 or the newer models R7 and R9.  Maybe buy a used LS50 to see if that’s the direction you’d like to go then sell it to buy a floorstander?

Maybe LSA speakers:

https://www.underwoodhifi.com/products/lsa-speakers

@grislybutter 

I'm surprised as LSA speakers had very positive reviews before it got sold to Underwood.  Sorry to remind you of your misfortune.

@grislybutter 

FYI - just found the MoFi Sourcepoint 8 which I’m guessing is cut from the same cloth as the Sourcepoint 10s:

https://mofi.com/products/mofi-electronics-sourcepoint-8-bookshelf-speakers?_pos=1&_sid=7d5ec8ca9&_ss=r

FYI- TAS list of speakers $3k+. Maybe find used:
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/2023-editors-choice-best-loudspeakers-3000-5000/?mc_cid=7f6158c002&mc_eid=2406231486