I started this post earlier today, and am just now finishing it, so it is a bit off the current discussion topic...:
Good job @ Chris and the team at PS Audio.
Despite PS Audio's reputation, I would say this speaker is definitely a solid performer, at least based off the measurements.
The low distortion and good horizontal directivity are really nice to see, and based off Erin's compression graph, these speakers can actually get loud.
Yeah, the on-axis frequency response isn't perfect, and the vertical directivity is narrow, but given the intended application of these speakers, I believe that there is merit to the narrow vertical directivity.
Now on to my take on the subjective evaluation of these speakers:
In my experience, I find that speakers which can handle high SPL levels tend to sound good, even when their other measurements are "compromised". So given that these speakers have good dynamic performance, they should gain some points there.
Now to my word salad summarizing the video:
- His statement about the floor bounce reduction due to placement of the woofers, I believe has merit here, but I would have to hear the speaker vs other more traditional tower speakers to fully believe that it makes an audible effect as I personally never listen for it when auditioning speakers.
- Soundstage width: This is pretty straightforward. Look at the horizontal polar, it is crazy wide and also pretty consistent.
- HF boost: The graphs show a slight HF boost. But he states that the manufacturer recommends toing the speakers out a bit anyways, which will counter that a bit given the directivity trace in the CEA2034 graph.
- His statement that this is a warm sounding speaker I cannot agree with at this time, but given the HF variations his definition of "warm" could be met by this speaker.
- He claims that Michael Jackson's Thriller album is good. I cannot confirm or deny this based off the speaker's objective measurements. Personally, I do not use that album in my reference playlist, but it ticks the boxes for a good reference sound.
- The claim that the sound is not fatiguing would require more effort than I am willing to put in now to prove or disprove, but given that there isn't any excessive resonances or other treble boosts, I would say that nothing in the objective data would indicate a fatiguing sound.
- Dynamic sound, low distortion: Yeah, look at the plots. The distortion is very low, and Erin's compression graph shows very good dynamic performance.
- "Good sound" Attack / clarity... I can't prove this, but generally I would say that most people in the world would say that this speaker would "sound good", given my experience in the audio field. Once again, the low moving mass midrange and tweeter / low distortion / other design choices of this speaker would lend themselves to these traits.
- Dip around 600hz: There is a dip in the graph. Yes, when you apply EQ and do a sighted comparison you'll notice differences. Personally, I am not sold on the merit of correcting something like that, because if it sounds good both with and without the EQ, it is often easier to just not EQ it, and good subjective sound is my ultimate goal in a music listening system.
- Dip around 6khz: Yeah, you ain't gonna notice that. Frequency-hearing-resolution and all, that narrow of a dip at that high of a frequency, you'll only notice it if you are looking for it and have magical hearing.
So yeah, I don't think any of his statements are without justification, at least at a basic level. Now, I have not heard this speaker, I have also never interacted with Erin, so I cannot comment on whether or not I would like this speaker or come to the same subjective conclusions. However, I think, for the target audience of this speaker, it is pretty good, and given the few special qualities of it, and the admittedly nice look, I would say they do justify the price.
However, one must wonder whether or not these objective issues could have been solved with: cable risers and quantum-tuned cables, a power regenerator, special fuses, weird rocks, and of course, everyone's favorite: tube connectors. (And the answer is: No, just no.)