so many speakers

Just posted this OP. See above. In a way we're asking the same question. I also think my OP touches on may of the points raisd in this OP.

" This post is directed to the more technical members of A'gon.

I've been reading numerous posts and audio reviews which compared various brands and models of speakers against each other. For example, in one thread a member said he was sure speaker A sounded all-around better then speaker B because when the two speakers were compared at a dealer's shop, they were in the same sound room, driven by the same equipment, same source material, and so forth. For discusion purposes, let's just accept that all relevant conditions were the same.

Here's my question. Even if all relevant variable factors were controlled and the same, can one still fairly say they "A/B'ed" two speakers??

And here's the basis for my question. As I have been reading and trying to understand the science and technology behind what drives input signal to speaker output, I have come to appreciate that there are many other variables that can affect what comes out as sound.

For example, every speaker on the market has it's own electronic fingerprint so to speak that can affect how it interacts with the amp being used, e.g., efficiency, impedance, phase angle, and so forth -- all of which change over the frequency range. I'm not even touching on home room acoustics.

Another case in point, one member (M-1) commented that a certain speaker (A) he listened to at a dealer sounded hot and caused hearing fatigue as compared to another speaker (B). He fairly concluded that speaker B was the better sounding speaker.

Interestingly, another member (M-2) questioned how M-1 could come to such a conclusion. His experience was totally opposite.

I don't recall that either member mentioned the type of equipment that was being used. However, M-1 was certain that the dealer listening conditions were identical.

Many of the more technical A'gon members have posted numerous threads about the synergy or lack thereof between tube amps and solid state amps with varioius types of speakers that present certain loads to the amp.

If such is the case, then I'm back to my origianl Q. Is it really possible to compare (A/B) speakers even if conditions and variables are identical??

If the answer (or consensus) is "NO," then how can one in the market for new speakers make an intelligent and informed decision?"

"If the answer (or consensus) is "NO," then how can one in the market for new speakers make an intelligent and informed decision?"

There is NO CONSENSUS concerning ANYTHING on this site. Ask ANY question about ANYTHING and you will see. You cannot use the posts / answers on this site as factual evidence about anything!! It's a big waste of time to try. Find speakers you might like based on size, cost, looks and specs and listen to them. If you like them, case closed, Phase angle and crossovers and impedence notwithstanding. Can you hear phase angle? We as a species can barely hear a full grown male lion coming thru the grass. All of our senses suck! Get what you like and be done. For every person that says buy A, there will be just as many saying buy B, and a few saying buy Z.
And nothing you asked has anything to do with technical expertise. If all 'opinion'. And trust me, EVERYONE here has one of those.
Cheers.

Surely there's a consensus that there are audible differences among speakers!

Rok2id, yes . . . I agree with your take on the subject. Let me just add that there is a thread out there that pops up from time to time which asks what are the best speakers on the market, or something to that effect. At last count, there were over 1300 hits on that thread.

As I see it, if the consensus view is that it is NOT always possible to compare two speakers, even under identical test conditions because of synergy issues with the rest of the system, the amp in particular, are there any guidelines that one can look to when trying to make an informed decision.

I make this point, because as a general matter, it's generally not practical to bring one's amp to the dealer (least of all the rest of your rig). And even if one does, many dealers wire up their test gear "behind a wall" for aesthetic reasons, thereby making it difficult to tie one's amp into the dealer's system. Hence, how can one make an informed judgment, even relying on your ears at the dealer's showroom?

What sounds wonderful at the dealer, could very well suck when you bring it home. Then what are you going to do?? Try to exchange out your speakers, or just live with them, or start the A'gon merry-go-round??

That's why I posed my Q. IMHO, to ask for speaker recommendations in a vacuum is silly. To respond to such questions is even sillier.

"Surely there's a consensus that there are audible differences among speakers!"

Yes, there can be differences. But, I think there are fewer differences than we might think. If we could really test them, we would find that there are 'groups' of speakers that are sonically the same. In other words, my Polks could end up in the same group as the Wilson Maxx. :)

So, of ALL the speakers on the market, we could end up with just a few different groups. Some people think, believe it or not, that speakers are the ONLY component that exhibit differences. :)
Cheers.