Even within Harman, the guy who designed their TOTL speakers don't necessarily agree with Toole. This is from an interview with Greg Timbers.
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Anechoic or listening? That is, where do measurements and listening fall in design? (Value, importance, role…)
This is a loaded question. I am going to answer it as I believe is correct. All designs require and deserve full Anechoic and other types of measurements. The cost, size or intended market for the device should not change the measurements taken. It doesn't matter how expensive a loudspeaker is, it should always be the absolutely best effort within the constraints agreed upon by cost, performance, appearance, etc. In many respects, cheap speakers are actually more challenging to do correctly. Once you know what your parts are capable of, you can work to achieve the highest level of performance possible within the guidelines. I am a firm believer that there is no magic in loudspeaker design, but I also strongly believe that we do not have all of the answers and that the ear is still the tool of choice. I can always hear differences that I can't measure but it doesn't make them any less important. It just means that we need to figure out how to measure what we hear. I have no use for blind and double blind listening tests the way Harman implements them. Sound systems and their environments are very complicated. No speaker is even close to sounding "real" so personal opinion is always a major consideration. Most blind tests are based on a series of assumptions that enable the test to be easy or practical to implement. Unfortunately, these assumptions often invalidate or color the results because they cover up or accentuate aspects of the loudspeaker design.