Hello. I am just curious, why does anyone pick a particular speaker producer? Are you actually looking for a certain type of Loudspeaker or just a name. Thanks.
A) Sound. This is to some extent personal preference, in that I buy speakers that sound best with the kind of material to which I listen. I've found that as you move up the line, that's less of an issue, since there are fewer design compromises -- you don't have to choose between deep bass, say, and a sparkling treble.
B) Can I accommodate it -- if it won't fit or sound good in my space, well, it isn't going to be of much use.
C) Price -- can I afford it. Honestly, if you know what to buy, there's so much great stuff available for a song that this isn't an issue.
Anyway, over time, you come to associate certain types of speaker with a certain kind of sound. Since I first heard a friend's KLH-9's several years ago, I've known that I was a planar type of guy -- stats, planar dynamics, ribbons. They have a naturalism on acoustical music that all but the most esoteric dynamics lack. You also get to know certain brands, and which ones are known for reliability, sound quality, service, and bang for the buck.
First I let my wife pick it. A happy wife is a happy sound. Then I ask her if it is the right color, size and price. She doesn't care about the sound so I don't either. I think this is actually how I go about it- I have found it takes me about 6 months to get a handle on the microdynamcs, which matters a lot to me. And so after finding a speaker that sounds good and auditioning it I need to know more about longer term use with it. So I hope to get comments on that.
I don't usually listen, I first look at what spikes come with the speakers. I dunno, I just like cool spikes. Then I look at the brand name. Is it easy to spell? Does the name roll off my tounge or is it difficult to pronounce. I might listen if there are 2 speakers with cool spikes and single-syllable names just to pick a winner.
I bought the "new and improved" version of a speaker I really enjoyed, thinking I would like it better. Flawed logic. Blew a wad of cash on that mistake. Come to think of it I've done that twice now. Duh. Unfortunately a manufacturer's design philosophy may not carry over to subsequent efforts.
I have been a Mirage fan for many years because I like their tonal balance and transparency, but especially I like their omnidirectional dispersion patterns that create a realistic, stable soundstage and the more realistic timbres that come from energizing a room in a way similar to live voices and music. Now that Klipsch has dumped their high end lines and continues only their "lifestyle" products, I'm not sure what I'll be getting 10 years down the road.
Although they're not omnis, I like Sonus Faber a lot. I like their combination of linearity, resolution, and musical tonal balance. I also like Magnepans for similar reasons, though they usually need a good pair of subs to complete them.
The sound, the sound, the sound, first and last. Is there what sounds like real music coming from the speakers and not just music coming out of a box. Then build quality and fit and finish. Will it's size work in my room and will it work within my budget.
I like the sound of Green Mountain Audio speakers because of the coherence and natural sound. More like real music in your room instead of a stereo. First order xovers tend to sound like that.
In another thread I called speakers "female" and amps "male". Maybe I was right after all. Cheaply made no. On the other hand, when I see speakers that look like a very nice furniture, have four drivers and cost only $3k, I would most likely steer clear of them. I would prefer two drivers and well-built speakers that look okay not like a very nice furniture. If, however, we are talking $30k speakers, everything should be great; it's a lot of money. But still I would always try to guess where most of the money and effort went. In other words, I would want to "make a contact" with the designer.
Looks, this includes size Brand, because there are a kazillion speaker makes and I will never get to hear more than one or two. I pick a brand, read every review I can find, and buy until they disappoint. Currently POLK scores well in looks, performance, and value. It is the PERFECT speaker for me and my situation. If the reviews are killer, I will buy the Lsi M 707's.
Inna...when my wife died a few years ago, I needed a present and bought the big B&W's because of their looks, and secondarily because of their reputation. I really should have listened to them at the store, because after trying many things to make them right, they never sounded like music. They are gone now, and so is a lot of money.
I picked Eggelston (Rosa) because they are located in my hometown, Memphis. It's nice to be able to watch the speaker being made. More importantly, the sound is incredible for a small speaker.
First thing I pay attention to is how the speakers look. If they don't look serious to me I move on. If they do - I listen. As for the name, it can mean something too but not particularly important. I consider the country of origin as well.
I have to love the sound of the speaker first. That means it sounds great to me in my room. Of course, I have to be able to afford it. It has to look good, because I don't have a dedicated listening room. Finally, I have to be fairly sure it will get serviced if something should go wrong.
I guess resale value is of some importance, especially if it is fairly expensive to begin with. That means it must sound good and have a good reputation. It helps if the company is still in business and has good service.
If the speaker sounds great, but the company is out of business or it is a one-person operation, that is fine as long as you plan to keep the speaker for a long time or don't care about resale value.
I chose my speaker manufacture based purely on sound reproduction. There are much more popular manufacturers out there.... but I liked what I heard when I tried these in my system.
I pick speakers based on how they sound. Looks size and brand mean nothing to me. ie Early on I used to think B&W were the best based on their reputation only to find after hearing other manufacturers there are other speakers I prefer. I'm not knocking B&W - they are just not my preference in sound.
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