When choosing new Speakers, what matters most to you?


When auditioning new speakers have you ever listened to a pair you thought you really liked only to realize you didn’t like them at all after seeing their measurements/specifications? And I’m not talking about speakers that would be too difficult for your electronics to drive but rather, you just didn’t like their waterfall plot, or their frequency response or some other measurement even though subjectively, you loved the way they sounded? Conversely have you ever listened to a pair of speakers you did not care for only to change your mind after seeing their specs?
 

Assuming speakers can be easily driven by your home electronics, in other words, no compatibility issues related to sensitivity or impedance, what is the single most important thing you look for when finding speakers you’ll enjoy listening to? How do you go about confirming the speakers you buy will be enjoyable to listen to in your home system?

128x128ted_denney

Crystal clean high frequency tweeters. I like domes as they are not as placement finicky. Good linear bass response that you can feel when you add volume. I also am a fan of front ports to enable the speakers to be placed close to the wall. I also like the "live sound" that speakers like JBL provide. Just makes the music seem more real. Good for toe tapping. I like speakers that make me move.

Accuracy.  Do the speakers reproduce EXACTLY what you feed them?

 

With Magnepan products, the answer is YES.

 

With other products, the answer is NO.

cindyment

 

"Used to drive a Toyota Camry. It had more American content than any other car manufactured at the time."

You must have missed that part about UNION made. That was a two-part requirement of mine for Automobiles, not one. And every dime of that Camerys profit goes back to Japan. I don’t send that country a dime if don’t have to, especially when it not necessary.

 

Phew, I’m relieved that this is just about buying speakers. Try buying intimate apparel for one’s significant other without knowing measurements.

Women know this fact intuitively, of course.

Noske

Is that aimed at me? My wife makes all her own clothes, so that’s not an issue. LOL.. But if I bring her nonunion jap crap as gifts in any form, I’ll be getting a ration of @#**T. After having a husband that was Union President UE Local 718 Lancaster Ohio for 36 years, she knows and remembers who’s paying for our pension, healthcare and most importantly, our lifestyle. So yes, speakers (and anything else) are included. Don’t worry, there are only 10 % of the USA unionized and after were all dead it will be a non-issue. To me, who made it, and what country owns the company that made it is important and at the top of my requirements.

That being said, sometimes there are none available with the above standards, but I always make sure I try ..